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| Primary purpose Summary Potential benefits Who can use the tool? What resources are needed? Development, ownership and support Social enterprise examples Look Back Move Forward Look Back Move Forward (LBMF) is a simple participative project evaluation and learning tool. The tool guides a two-hour self-facilitated workshop that focuses on an interactive poster. The poster comes with instructions to guide participants through a series of stages, giving them the opportunity to reflect on a project they have worked on together from a number of different perspectives, as well as to compare and learn from each other’s experiences. The finished poster provides a visual record of the participant’s views on the project, which can be used for discussion and learning. LBMF uses a poster, self-adhesive notes (e.g. “Post It”) and instructions. The first step involves putting the poster on a wall or large table so everyone can see it. Participants are divided into four equally sized groups. These may be obvious groups such as volunteers, or project managers, but can be random. If there are four people or fewer, each ‘group’ will be an individual. A group of people (stakeholders) ‘who are not here’ is also identified as people who are not present but have an interest in the project. Running through the middle of the poster is a timeline. The next step is to date the timeline labeling an agreed start date for the project at the start of the timeline and the date of the meeting at the other end. Each group then comes up with two high points and two low points from the project. They discuss what made them high or low and write each high or low on a self-adhesive note. Each group in turn sticks its notes on the poster, putting them roughly where they occurred along the time line, each placing the note higher above or lower below the centre line indicating how extreme the high or low was. Collectively, the whole group tries to approximate the highs and lows of those who are not present. The group as a whole then discusses the highs and lows looking for any connections, similarities or differences among what the different groups came up with. Next the whole group considers what difference the project has made and any unintended effects. They then think through what they would have done differently on reflection. All of this information is recorded on the poster. Finally the whole group is encouraged to think about the future and what the participants want to achieve next. The poster allows information, findings and learning points to be turned into a report that can be distributed among other individuals and partners. An evaluation form is also included to enable the tool to improve as more groups use it.
Potential limitations
LBMF is designed to be used by any organisation or project of any size without a facilitator or trained expert. Leadership Anyone at an organisation who has read through the tool’s instructions can lead the group. Whoever is involved in the project can take part. Groups may want to invite a wider range of people than normally come to their meetings to discuss the project. Proficiencies or skills The organiser will need to make sure that everyone gets a fair chance to speak at the discussion and should be comfortable with doing this. Staff time The LBMF workshop takes two to three hours, though this may vary slightly depending upon the size of the group. It can be used over one or several meetings. Courses, support, and information The tool is designed to be used ‘off-the-shelf’ with no support required. More information can be found at: www.neweconomics.org/gen/newways_lookback.aspx Development, ownership and support Look Back Move Forward is developed in a partnership between nef and the Shell Better Britain Campaign. Details on obtaining the poster and related material can be acquired by contacting nef at 020 7820 6300. A fee of £5–£10 per kit (depending on postage and packaging) is charged to cover costs. Social enterprises that have used Look Back Move Forward:
Examples from other sectors
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