A Gamified Approach to Stronger Strategic Plans ASK MATT: A Gamified Approach to Stronger Strategic Plans Steven E. Wallis, Ph.D. Director of Meta-Analysis, Meaningful Evidence Fulbright Specialist, Consulting on theory, policy, and strategy Morrie Warshawski Independent Consultant Nonprofit strategic planning and meeting facilitation ASP Conference – San Francisco, California, March 16-18, 2016 SWallis@MeaningfulEvidence.com

AGENDA Welcome / Introductions Game Rules Choose a Topic Play the Game Short Break Reflections / Background Conversations & New Directions Appreciations

The importance of Maps: Which is more useful for navigation? Disconnected Interconnected USF, SFSU, UCSF Hwy 101, Hwy 1, roads, bus routes, cars, SFO airport Haight Ashbury Baseball Phone book – full of data ASK: imagine two maps. Both have the same data. One (on the left) disconnected bits. The other (on the right) has the data connected each bit of information stands in structured, systemic relationship to the other bits of data. Here is another pop-quiz… Which one would you use to get around? NOW – this is a quick-and-easy intuitive test. It turns out that we can measure the structure of our theories (our conceptual maps) with some level of rigor.

Basic Pieces for Making Maps Labor FTE/week Point of Interest (POI) “what” (things that change such as income, expense, hours worked, widgets produced, etc.) Production Widgets per week Causeway “how” (shows how changes in one POI cause changes in another) Motivation ?? Gold Star Bonus Points!

Game Play 2 Min. Think of a concept (or a causal connection between concepts) VOTE "is the card valid?" Measurable POI = BONUS POINT CAUSEWAY must be causal! Write the idea on a card (or choose a connection card) Place the card on the map Score! Game Play 2 Min.

Typical game after four turns with six players

Choose a Topic And PLAY!

10 Min. Break

What was your experience playing the game? Background and Future What was your experience playing the game?

Background and Future Four (or more) Problems with strategic planning! Time, Effort, & Cost Varity of methods: intuition, data, collaboration Low buy-in Low benefit (e.g. SWOT)

Pop Quiz = 0? = 1? = 6? = 9? 3 3 = ?

Background and Future A B C Transformative structures support good research (“knowledge” vs. “data”) Aristotle Nomological Nets Integrative Complexity Multiple variables Partial Causality Benefits of Mapping Propositional Analysis A B C

Structural Quadrants Here is where we want our plans to be Theories/ “laws” of physics and engineering Here is where we want our plans to be Most strategic plans are here Prophecies of Nostradamus, Trivia games, etc…

Improving Maps D H A E C B G F Improve Map & Increase Score: 1 – More concepts 2 – more connections 3 – More loops Annual Follow-up Game H Research key debates A How might you close a loop? Explore “white spaces” E “Drill Down” to create new map for individual departments Can similar POIs be combined? C B G F Discuss “Leverage Points” How is that measured? What training, coaching, restructuring might support success?

“Road Trip” – the Long Game Creating and enacting a strategic plan Choose POIs for metrics Identify existing levels and choose new goals Individuals and/or teams collect data Data is entered to spreadsheet or dashboard platform Each year, recheck map based on data – improve map! Use map to identify leverage points Use map to suggest collaboration

Future Fit How might you use this game in your work? What clients might benefit from this game? How might this game fit with your existing methods?

Q & A

Summary - Benefits for Strategic Planning Play opens minds! Links knowledge Encourages reflection Stimulates conversation Provides a useful action map Makes CEO’s job a little easier

Thank You! Now… can we go play?

Misc stuff… just in case

False Focus on Simplicity Hypothetical Conflict Entrepreneurship Psychology Actual Engineering Simple Complexity of Topic Complex

Without structure, we loose reasoning ability False Focus on “data” KEY: Data is not enough. Without structure, we loose reasoning ability

What Can You Do With ASK MATT? Sources of Data: Personal experience Text books Academic books News items “The Daily Show” Some Uses: Learning about theory Learning about current events Team projects During Play: Work with team dynamics Ask challenging questions Teams can report back to whole class Teams can link smaller maps into larger After-Play: Immediately useful for application Clarifies points for collaboration Clarify directions for research

Key Assumption If we live in a world of systems that world would be best understood when our knowledge is more structured

Key: Objective Evaluation Quadrant #3 Many very large firms are here May have medium term success Difficult to gather and interpret data More difficult to coordinate   Quadrant #4 Few firms are here Long term success Few unanticipated consequences Easier to coordinate, & adapt Low Breadth High Quadrant #2 Many utilities & commodities are here Narrow focus, some large surprises Easier to coordinate, difficult to adapt Quadrant #1 Most firms are here May have short term success Many unanticipated consequences Typical strategic plans are here Low Depth High Key: Objective Evaluation

Let’s Play the ASK MATT Game (short & simple version): Basic Rules: One idea per circle (may be complex or simple) Only causal connections are allowed Bonus points When box is measurable For creating “transformative” structures (two arrows pointing to one box) Play Supports Participants to co-create structured knowledge (more useful map)

Map Score D H BREADTH= 8 DEPTH = 0.25 A C C B G F

More Structured Theories are More Useful More Structured Theories are More Useful! Electrostatic attraction theory (Wallis, 2010) Structure

Concepts and Connections

Concepts and Connections

Next Steps Quality classroom experience Successful graduates Supports More Successful graduates Supports More Supports More Supports More Publicity for your university Supports More Successful teaching Attraction of quality / motivated students Supports More Supports More Trained & experienced professors ASK MATT game & support from M.E.