By Elizabeth Benefield and Melissa Carrier
January 2024
Something we always loved teaching our former students was journey mapping. You could see the “a-has” and growing sense of empowerment in understanding the process of change – from discovery to action to achieving aspirational goals.
Much like our students, organizations often struggle with the ability to envision a different world and implement new strategies. Meaningful change is organic and non-linear, filled with both opportunities and headwinds, and requires significant input from the lived experiences of others. Personal biases, organizational cultures that lack inclusive practice, misaligned stakeholder expectations, and rigid operational structures, among other challenges, all inhibit organizations from realizing their vision.
Visually mapping the process from idea or concept into a plan of action brings clarity and sense-making to innovation work. In our view, journey mapping, a seemingly simple tool, serves as a conceptual bridge from impact-focused entrepreneurship to innovation practice. It can take the mystery and angst out of trying something new. It brings logic to transformational possibility.
At Radiate Works, we act as agents of change. We help leaders of organizations imagine new possibilities, and then assist them in mapping the way forward. While unapologetically focused on systems level approaches, we recognize that obstacles to change are often rooted in the hidden dynamics of relational or transformational spaces. We know that to succeed in leading and implementing generative change, we must first understand well the current state of opportunities and challenges, and second, the desired outcomes of each of our clients.
The Radiate methodology of deep inquiry, discovery, assimilation, and activation ensures we are being true to a highly refined and deliberative process, open to constant input and a practiced willingness to embrace new ideas. As such, our journey map may look something like this:
Each of these “lanes” represents contributions of expertise and experience tailored to the needs of each client. The spaces around and in between represent the multi-dimensional nature of problem-solving. Our inputs are deep pockets of diverse skill sets spanning teaching, curriculum development, strategy, and human centered design. At Radiate Works, our journey map includes rigorous data synthesis and evaluative practices that lead to informed decision-making. A strong set of values guides our work.
Most organizations attempt to solve challenges as if the solutions follow a familiar algorithm. In so doing, they often fail to achieve the change they are seeking. Our team at Radiate drives innovative and sustainable results. As we did with our students, we approach each client opportunity as a journey from “what is” to “what can be.” In partnership, we fill in missing pieces and uncover new assets to move toward transformational change and ultimately, greater impact. Come journey with us!
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