Towards a better future state – part 3
Over the last 2 posts I put forward the case for a data informed transformation strategy and then went on to outline tools and techniques used to understand the problem space, stakeholders involved, desirable outcomes, acceptable options, solutionising them, metrics to measure and means of measuring them.
From hereon I will keep my posts short, to detail specific tools and techniques used to enable the Peace Through Prosperity team to frame the ecosystem and solution options using reference frames used in defining, designing and delivering large scale digital transformation programmes.
This approach has allowed the team to design micro-fail experiments, to alter them using real time data edging closer to delivering the desired outcomes. Studying previous analogs and antilogs has ensured we do not waste any resources in replicating or attempting to improve previous programmes that though well meaning have had little to no impact on the ground. The micro-fail experimentation approach has allowed Peace Through Prosperity the luxury of trying out truly innovative approaches.
Diving into in the details, before there could be any thought given to the how to transform the 'as is' state was the need to understand the 'as is' state better than the incumbents with the same noble aims as Peace Through Prosperity.
We started off from a position of strength as a number of us had been individually researching the rise of the political right and extremism since 2005 onwards and between the founding team and our body of advisors there exists a vast body of knowledge collected through extensive personal field research as well as secondary research available to us.
Allowing us to create a map of our problem/operating space. The consensus was to work from the ground up, understand the triggers and drivers that create the perfect environment for a populous to be radicalised in mass.
To gain an insight into the beneficiary's behaviour an Empathy Map seemed like the perfect tool to deploy, and go beyond to better understand all the drivers and actions across all stakeholders in the eco-system.
For the uninitiated in the use of Empathy maps; in the digital realm I kick off almost every project by interviewing, observing and analysing all the stakeholders involved; from the sponsors to the end users, to better understand their current pain points, desired outcomes, boundaries, motivations and behaviour. Then, as me and my teams work towards our objectives, be it to deliver a transformation strategy, a programme plan or a digital solution we use the Empathy Maps to help drive the user persona, the user experience and the brief to deliver a scalable, fit for purpose deliverable that goes beyond the client expectations in its ability to assist them in achieving their desired outcomes.
Almost 2 years into the journey that is Peace Through Prosperity Empathy Maps have proven to be an invaluable tool in aligning the overall design of the programme with its intended beneficiaries, in our own understanding and development of narratives needed to bridge the differing world views and find common ground to work from.In this post I am sharing the Empathy map developed for the working poor; the direct beneficiaries we are engaged with, to assist and facilitate them in building a better future state for themselves by themselves via Peace Through Prosperity's Mini-MBA Programme.
The Empathy Map is based on first hand interviews with over 50+ individuals over a period of 3 months from numerous different conflict affected regions within Pakistan as well as survey data of over 500 individuals, video interviews and facilitated workshops held in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Dera Adam Khel, Haripur, Karachi, Bhit Shah and Hala.
Though I shall be sharing Empathy Maps for most of the stakeholders in the ecosystem there will be some I will not be making public any time soon and no doubt you can appreciate why.
