Innovation Pioneers – A Huge Thank You for Participating!
Hi everyone,
A quick note from your sponsor, Anders Håkansson at Amœba Creative Spaces.
First, I want to thank all of you for being part of this amoeba experiment! Before the event, I was told you were all seasoned and willing participants, so I decided to push the boundaries—and it worked beautifully, in all its chaotic glory.
The goal was to explore new, unpredictable patterns by applying a bit of chaos theory (learn more) and game theory (explore here). In a real-world setting, things rarely work out like they do in a perfectly planned workshop, where everything wraps up neatly and everyone feels accomplished. Life is messier, interconnected, and far more complex. This concept, which I call the “complexity footprint,” is what we wanted to tap into during this session. The amoeba philosophy is rooted in breaking from tradition to reveal these underlying complexities.
But here’s the thing: if we explain this all up front or go too far off course, it skews the experience and turns it into a performance rather than an exploration. True, lasting change—whether it’s solving deep-seated issues or creating momentum—requires us to dive into the layers beneath the surface. That’s what this amoeba exercise is all about.
This session was just the beginning of a much larger exploration, and I hope it sparked some reflections for you, as it did for me. Here are a few questions I’d like you to consider (not for me, but for you):
- When did you first feel your energy drop?
- Why do you think that happened?
- How did it feel when we didn’t reach a traditional conclusion?
- If you disengaged at any point, what drove that decision?
- If this exercise intrigued you, what made it resonate?
A couple of key outcomes:
- 191 “rubs” (interactions or moments of friction) were generated.
- The majority happened within the first or second circle of interaction (your immediate perimeter, not beyond).
The most effective transformational change happens when we can connect our actions to reducing risk and driving opportunity. It’s about linking changemakers—innovation and initiatives—to production value (read more). This idea is central to what we’re exploring with Banana Cake Currency (yes, you read that right!).
Other thoughts to consider: Workshops and sessions often bring their biggest insights after the formal “end.” You’re all experts at wrapping up, but what truly matters are the realizations that come when our minds are relaxed and open. For me, many of the insights hit after the sessions, and that’s when the dots really started connecting. I still need to analyze the data in detail, but I’m sure more will emerge.
Here’s what I observed:
- A strong need to belong to a group.
- A desire to connect with others.
- The disruptions of moving between spaces heightened the need for connection.
Looking back, there were a few things we could improve upon:
- The failures: There were plenty—and they were fantastic! These are the kinds of failures I embrace and loathe at the same time. But here’s what we can learn from them:
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- Tighter Communication – This was a tight-knit experiment, and I should have communicated more clearly about what to expect.
- Embracing Dissonance – The amoeba process isn’t about easy conclusions or feel-good outcomes. It’s about the frustration of not knowing and finding clarity in discomfort.
- Closure – We didn’t achieve a proper close to the workshop. Some of this was due to time constraints, and some due to insufficient data. I realized this early on but didn’t address it well enough. There’s much to learn from this!
About Kumu:
If you haven’t already, check out Kumu. Explore the site, test some examples, and find something that catches your interest. You can even copy the Google sheet and build your own Kumu in real-time—it takes less than two minutes to set up.
I’ll keep updating the Kumu as I work on cleaning and simplifying the data, and I encourage you to dive in and experiment.
Using Kumu as a Changemaker: A Quick Introduction
Kumu is a powerful tool designed to help changemakers visualize complex systems, identify key leverage points, and map out the relationships between different factors. Whether you’re tackling social, environmental, or organizational challenges, Kumu can help you see the bigger picture and discover new pathways for action.
Here’s how you can get started:
- Map the System – Start by mapping out the key players, issues, and forces involved in your challenge. Kumu allows you to create a network of interconnected elements, helping you see how they influence each other. This is especially helpful for understanding the complexities of systems change.
- Identify Leverage Points – Once your system is mapped, look for nodes that have the most influence. These are your leverage points—the places where small changes can create a ripple effect throughout the system. Use this insight to focus your efforts on areas with the greatest potential impact.
- Collaborate and Share – Kumu’s interactive platform makes it easy to share your maps with collaborators, stakeholders, or team members. This encourages collective understanding and helps align everyone’s efforts around common goals.
- Track Progress – As you implement changes, you can use Kumu to update and refine your maps in real-time. This allows you to monitor progress, see emerging patterns, and adjust your strategy based on new insights.
By using Kumu to visualize complexity and find connections, changemakers can approach problems in a more strategic and impactful way. It’s not just about understanding systems—it’s about transforming them.
The Google Sheet
The Kumu
Thanks again for being part of this journey!
Best,
Anders