The double diamond

• Flipchart sheets containing the results of earlier context analysis/problem identification exercises.
• Flipchart sheets and marker pens.
• Plenty of post-it notes and ordinary pens.
• A basket or hat and enough slips of paper for one per participant.
• Handout of the action plan template for each participant.

• Prepare a flipchart sheet or whiteboard with the double diamond model (see illustration below).
• Prepare three flipchart sheets with the headings ’Generate ideas’, ’Step-by-step plan’ and ’Monitoring’.
• Prepare a flipchart sheet with the guiding questions for developing ideas (see ‘group work – develop ideas’ below).

Point to the diagram and explain the following:

In this session we are going to develop an action plan for addressing a problem using the double diamond tool. The double diamond tool is a creative process for idea development that starts with a problem question.

We’re going to start by choosing a specific problem related to FORB that we would like to tackle. Then we are going to go through a four-phase process:

1. Generate ideas: We are going to brainstorm as many different ideas as possible, thinking outside and inside the box. No idea is too ambitious or crazy at this stage!

2. Evaluate and select ideas: Then we are going to evaluate the ideas, choosing a few that have the most potential.

3. Develop ideas: In small groups, we will then develop the chosen ideas more fully, once again thinking creatively both inside and outside the box.

4. Make ideas concrete: Finally, we are going to choose one or two ideas to fully formulate and test.

This four-stage process works by separating the creative from the analytical stages of the action planning process. This helps to make sure that everyone is at the same place at the same time – first opening up for creativity and then thinking critically and evaluating the ideas.

CHOOSE A PROBLEM (20 min)

Point to flipcharts with the results of previously conducted context analysis/problem identification exercises. Of the problems previously identified, ask the group to discuss and agree on one specific problem that they want to work on. Encourage them to be as specific as possible in defining the problem – the more specific they are the easier action planning becomes!

For example, instead of saying that the problem is ‘intolerance’ they could say:

• Minority children are being bullied at the local school, or
• Local religious or political leaders or local media are using hate speech.

Instead of saying minority (or all) women are vulnerable, they might say:

• High rates of school dropout among (minority) girls,
• Street harassment, especially of minority women, or
• Early and forced marriage.

And instead of saying government discrimination they might say:

• Local police do not investigate crimes against people from minorities properly, or
• Community X can’t get permission to build a place of worship.

Write the problem chosen above the double diamond model on the whiteboard/flipchart, in the following format: ‘How can we contribute to solving the problem of…?’

GENERATE IDEAS IN PLENARY (20 MIN)

Stick the flipchart headed ’generate ideas’ up on the wall. Hand out plenty of post-it notes and pens. Invite participants to think quietly for 3 minutes, writing down any ideas they come up with on the post-it notes. Encourage them to be creative and remind them that at this stage there is no such thing as a bad idea!

Invite participants up to the flipchart one by one, to briefly explain the idea and stick it to the flip-chart. If someone has had the same idea before them, they can stick their post-it on top of the original one.

After everybody has contributed at least one idea, ask if anyone has any more ideas. Sometimes hearing other peoples’ ideas can spark more ideas. Write those up on post-it notes and stick them on the flipchart too.

EVALUATE AND SELECT IDEAS IN PLENARY (20 MIN)

Lead the discussion by asking the following guiding questions:

• Which ideas do you like the best?
• Which ideas do we think have the greatest potential to contribute to solving the problem and why?
• Which ideas do we think we could further develop?

Continue until the group has reached a consensus on four ideas to further develop.

GROUP WORK – DEVELOP IDEAS (45 MIN)

Divide participants into four groups and allocate an idea to each group to further develop. Give each group flipchart sheets and pens. Display the following guiding questions on a flipchart or PowerPoint:

• How will your idea contribute to solving the problem? What positive change will it bring about?
• Break your idea down into activities – what, and with whom.
• Which of these would be the main activity?
• What is the key message behind your idea? How would you communicate this?
• Who can help to implement this idea? Think about your allies. What role do you want them to have?
• Are there any risks associated with your idea? Who might oppose the idea?
• What could you do to mitigate those risks?

Ask each group to appoint a spokesperson to present their ideas back to plenary. Explain that each group will have 5 minutes to present their idea to the rest of the group, followed by plenary discussion of the idea for a further 10 minutes and that once all groups have presented, we will vote for our favourite idea to take to the next stage of the process.

TIP! Why not schedule a break or introduce an energiser at this point? Check out the ‘Icebreakers and energisers’ section for inspiration.

PRESENTATIONS AND FEEDBACK (60 MIN)

Invite each group in turn to present (5 min) and receive feedback (10 min max).

Use the following questions to lead the feedback discussion:

• What do you like about this idea?
• Do you have any suggestions for how to make it even better?
• Does anything about it seem unrealistic, or unachievable?

Be strict with time keeping, ensuring every group gets a fair chance to present and get feedback.

VOTE AND CHOOSE (5 MIN)

Hand out the slips of paper and ask everyone to vote anonymously for their favourite idea that they would like to see turned into a concrete action plan. Count the votes to find the favourite idea to use in the final stage of the double diamond process – making ideas concrete.

Emphasise that even if the idea you voted for hasn’t been chosen, you can use the action planning skills we have been learning today to develop a concrete plan at a later date.

PLENARY DISCUSSION – MAKE IDEAS CONCRETE (30 MIN)

Stick up the flipchart sheets headed ’Step-by-step plan’ and ’Monitoring’ and hand out the action plan template.

Explain the following:

• As you will realise from looking at the handout, you have already been working through the action plan template for four different ideas! Now we are going to finish the process together, focusing on your favourite idea.
• First, we will aim to come up with a step-by-step plan together. Then, we will come up with some ideas for monitoring our plan – how will we know if it is actually working, or if we need to adapt it?
• We won’t have time to cover all this in great depth today, but after this training you can take the ideas and the template away with you and develop your action plan more fully.

For the step-by-step plan, lead the discussion with these questions:

• What is the main activity linked to your favourite idea?
• Let’s consider the who, what, when and how for that activity, by listing the key steps. What needs to happen first? Who should do that, and when? Solicit answers from the group, then seek consensus before writing it up on the flipchart sheet. For example, ask, ’Can anyone see a step that needs to happen before that?’
• Remind participants that they are not trying to capture every single detail, just the key steps in the right order. Write these up on the flipchart sheet.

For monitoring, lead the discussion with these questions:

• Let’s stay focused on the main activity for now, so that we have one complete example. What are the signs of change we hope to see as a result of that activity?
• How will we know if this activity is having the desired effect? Is there some way in which this will be visible? What can we do to check?

TIP! Sometimes participants find it difficult to come up with monitoring activities. Prepare a few examples that are relevant to the context.

Congratulate participants on their excellent ideas and engagement. Say that you hope they found both the double diamond tool and the action planning template useful, and something they can continue to use in the future.