A post-learning journey sensing exercise
The main purpose of this exercise is to practice redirecting and bringing the key different stakeholder perspectives and needs observed on a learning journey into the room. The voices of the stakeholders blend together to create a sense of the whole field.
Participants stand in a circle. The facilitator explains that we want to let the voices of different stakeholders sink in. Participants will, when they feel called to do so, embody different stakeholders and speak their voices. When participants are thinking of a specific person or composite character or role in the system, encourage them to try to feel what it would be like to be that person and really embody that as they speak. The facilitator may start by modeling one stakeholder perspective and then allow other participants to follow. It’s important that participants don’t feel they are misappropriating or caricaturing stakeholders; the point is to bring the voices into the circle and blend them together. This exercise can go on for as long as the facilitator feels appropriate (e.g., 10-15 minutes). It works well as a synthesis of a learning journey, when many different perspectives have been encountered that have touched participants’ minds and hearts.