Diploma Portfolio : 03 Pathway Plan

Summary

Dates: 2016-18
Context and aim: This design, my third design, was my plan for how I would approach and complete my Diploma. It culminated in the design of a notebook / diary that was the driving force behind me finishing my Diploma in the time I’d set myself (3 years).
Framework: OBREDIMET (Observation, Boundaries, Resources, Evaluate, Design, Implement, Maintain, Evaluate, Tweak)
Tools: Looby’s Web, GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Will to do), Zones, Input/Output, Mindmap, Web of connections, McHarg’s Exclusion model.
Principles: Holmgren, Mollison and Slay
Key successes: Beautiful notebook with a fold out inside cover with questions for focus at different points in the lunar month. Others bought a copy of the notebook for their own use.
Key challenges and how they were overcome: Stagnation at the start of the process of trying to design my whole diploma all at once – overcome by a quick win of designing the notebook; the questions I used first of all being too in depth – overcome by being flexible (permaculture principle: observe and interact) and simplifying the questions in subsequent additions.
Evaluation of the content: The design and creation of the notebook (that ended up having 3 editions, each one updated) was extremely useful in helping me keep momentum and focus over the duration of the diploma. The design was evaluated on an ongoing basis. 
Reflection on the process: Reflection happened at intervals through the process. The Design Web (Looby’s web) was really helpful as a reflective tool.