My Pathway
Pathway & Process Reflections
I arrived at my projects kind of automatically because of my internship at PaLS (permaculture demonstration area). I had the chance to take part in different projects and I accepted most of the offerings. This way my project work was very diverse, spontaneous and I kept working all the time. So I was not able to concentrate on just one project like I had predicted and planned in my LIPD. The internship is a great learning opportunity to expand my knowledge in different areas, because I gain a realistic view how things work and how they do not. Overall I met my goals I outlined in my LIPD although sometimes it was a bit chaotic, because I was involved in many projects at once with different design frameworks.
Additionally I had a great time with the people in the community "Lebensgarten Steyerberg", which are supporting me in a great way with my pathway. To read more about how my project work has impacted the relationship in my community click here.
The only goal from my LIPD that I could not pursue is the design of a sanitary system (in the meso-project practical-building-skills). It is just too much work to do with the earth-sheltered-greenhouse, the soil building and the bee project. Instead I decided to help to design and install the reed bed next to the sanitary system. For more information on which LIPD goals I met with my projects just take another look on the site of each meso-project. There I summarized my achieved and new goals.
I am going to keep on working steadily on my projects and I am going to document the progress in my next OP. Nevertheless here are some things I want to do differently the next time:
- Start with designing OP3 immediately after OP2.
- If there are new micro-projects, design them from the beginning.
- Improve tracking processes (other flexible implementation plan).
- Time Management: Start in the beginning with Getting Things Done to divide up my time until the deadline for submission.
- Write journal at least twice a week.
- Being more actively involved in GaiaU community by attending more calls, have more Think and Listen and being a support person for the new cycle.
My primary un/learnings during this cycle are summarised here:
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Design processes are powerful - you just need to know how to use them.
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Do not plan too much in the beginning, because things always change in the course of time.
- Tracking of projects and Time Management are essential for success.
Tracking: To track my pathway I used the "Flexible Implementation Plan" for an overall view of the year. Included are planned workshops, learning intentions and ideas. Once a week I reviewed it, added and deleted things and entered everything I did during the week. Actually that works pretty well but for me it would be easier to have a real instead of a digital implementation plan, like a board or calendar with notes. This way I would use the implementation plan more often and would add more details for everyday life to it.
Additionally I created an excel spreadsheet where my meso-and micro-projects and the design-process which goes with them are listed. In a next column I can track if the projects are finished, in pause or if I am still working on them. Please click here to view the excel spreadsheet.
Flexible Implementation Plan
What went well? (optional)
- I liked the versatile extensive approach of my meso-projects.
- It was very satisfying to not only concentrate on one micro-project.
- Learned a lot about design process basics.
- Learned a lot about the difference between planning and doing.
What was challenging? (optional)
- To not loose track.
- Steady project documentation.
- Starting with a conscious design process.
- Time Management: When to start OP? Because I always worked on my projects and many spontaneous situations occurred, I could not manage my time properly. Therefore the documentation lacked consistency.
- Journalling as a regular process.
- Interaction with GaiaU community (because of lack of time)
Support Network
My Kolb-Kite profile
The Kolbs Model shows my current learning style, which is mostly based on Concrete Experience (CE) and Active Experimentation (AE). I want to expand my learning style towards Reflective Observation (RO, remembering) and Abstract Conceptualization (AC, thinking). The first image illustrates how my learning model looked before I entered a conscious un/learning process. The second image illustrates how my capacities developed so far and the third image shows the direction I am aiming at.
Journal: development of the design process of OP2
22.04: Starting consciously with my projects sounds lika a lot of fun but is at the same time a bit overwhelming! How to start? How to design? Just give it a try!? My every-day life is tightly packed with an internship on the permaculture area and the projects going-on there, working as a home help to earn money (to life and for my studies) and managing my studies with GaiaU.
To manage all these things I need to integrate my internship-projects to my studies. This way I am not too overwhelmed.
But now is my BIG question: How can I start with my project-work consciously? Where can I set priorities?
01.05: I clearly do not have the feeling that I managed everything properly. I just dived into my projects without a clear plan what to consciously do. Well I did observe all the processes going on. But I did not design a project-framework yet. But how can I design an appropriate project framework?
06.05: I started with my first attempts to design my projects, my skills and just wrote all my thinkings down on paper. As I recognized that could be an endless process. So what is really necessary and effective?
14.05: I designed all my projects. At least I tried to do so :-) YES! I am more clear about my priorities, next steps and further on-goings. It feels to be more effective than just working on something without a strategic direction. For sure there is still a huge amount to learn. But I am satisfied with my first trials and as time goes on I become more experienced!