Step 1: The Radar – Listening to Real Problems
Before you build a solution, you need to know what the real problem is.
What it is: The Radar is a live feed that gathers information on the challenges people are facing right now.
Simple Example: Imagine a community struggles with youth unemployment. Instead of assuming we know why, the Radar helps us listen. We might learn that the real issue isn't a lack of jobs, but a lack of affordable transportation to get to where the jobs are.
The Benefit: This stops us from wasting time building solutions for problems that don't exist.
Step 2: The Demystification Engine – Finding the Root Cause
Now that we’ve identified a problem, we need to understand why it’s happening.
What it is: This tool digs deep into a challenge to find its root cause.
Simple Example: Let’s take the transportation problem. The Demystification Engine wouldn’t just say "no buses." It would uncover why there are no buses. Is it a lack of funding? Poor city planning? By finding the root cause, we avoid a temporary fix (like funding a single bus for a year) and can instead work on a lasting solution (like a new sustainable public transit model).
The Benefit: It ensures we don’t keep rebuilding the same flawed systems that caused the problem in the first place.
Step 3: The Convergence Hub – Connecting the Dots
Problems in the world are connected. A transportation issue affects employment, which affects health, which affects education. The Convergence Hub looks at these connections.
What it is: A space to see how a challenge in one area impacts others.
Simple Example: Solving the transportation issue (getting people to jobs) could also help local businesses thrive and improve access to healthcare clinics. The Convergence Hub helps us design a transportation solution that benefits all these areas at once.
The Benefit: We create solutions that make the entire community stronger, instead of just moving a problem from one place to another.
Step 4: Catalysts – The Action Lab
This is where ideas become reality.
What it is: Catalysts are like collaborative kitchens or workshops. This is where people come together to build, test, and launch real-world projects using the insights from the previous steps.
Simple Example: Using all the information gathered, a team in the Catalyst workshop might develop a ride-share app specifically designed for commuters in their area, supported by local businesses. They can build a prototype, test it, and improve it based on real feedback.
The Benefit: It moves us from talking about problems to actively creating and testing solutions.