I used Looby Macnamara's design web for this design, as I'd just finished reading People and Permaculture, and it seemed particularly appropriate for a design that wasn't land-based. To start with, I created a mind map covering each stage of the design web.
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June 2014 |
July |
August |
September |
October |
November |
December |
Events |
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12th Convergence |
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28th Diploma gathering |
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Diploma |
Induction |
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28th Tutorial? |
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1. Action Learning Pathway |
Design |
Write up initial design |
Review |
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Review |
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Review |
2. Sew Your Own oral history project |
Design Submit funding bid |
Produce paperwork Recruit participants |
Interviewing Transcription |
Interviewing Transcription |
Interviewing Transcription |
Interviewing Transcription |
Start analysis |
3. Home |
Design List of tasks |
Clear space (one room at a time) Outdoor maintenance |
Clear space (one room at a time Outdoor maintenance |
Clear space (one room at a time) |
All clearing tasks to be complete |
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All maintenance and decorating to be complete |
4. Garden |
Observe |
Observe |
Observe |
Observe |
Observe |
Design Write up |
Write up Start implementation |
Other relevant activities |
Lots of work travel |
Lots of work travel |
Marathon training |
Marathon training |
5th Marathon |
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Design tool: design web
I wrote this up in June last year, but things have taken a lot longer than planned, and some designs have changed altogether. Time for a revamp!
Status: ongoing (implementation)
2. 'Sew your own' oral history project (original)
Design tool: not used
I enjoy making my own clothes, and wanted to do a small oral history project in my local area exploring people's experiences of making their own clothes and useful household items. I applied for funding from the local council, but this was rejected (our allotment project, which also put in an application using my name, was given funding). At my diploma tutorial in May I decided to put this on hold because of the amount of time and energy it would take, and I've since decided to drop it altogether.
Status: dropped
3. Home (original)
Design tool: design web
I've talked in detail about this design and progress here, in a previous blog post. It started out as a declutting/creating space project, and has morphed into moving house. We're in the implementation phase (otherwise known as 'complete chaos').
Status: ongoing (implementation)
4. Our garden (original)
Design tool: SADIMET
I completed the survey and analysis stages, then stalled with the design. I felt hampered by my lack of knowledge about plants. Then we decided to move house, and my wants and needs for the garden changed, and I still haven't gone back to redo the survey in the light of our new plans. I'm now unsure of whether to include this at all, although I did such detailed survey work it seems a shame not to.
Status: stalled (analysis/design)
5. Research project (original)
Design tool: SADIMET (using Permaculture Research Handbook)
This has been my most successful design so far, and I've written about it here. I teamed up with another diploma apprentice, and we have designed a research project to explore people's motivations for signing up for the diploma at that specific point in time. Our survey currently has nearly 80 responses, and we are developing questions for our telephone interviews. We plan to report to the Permaculture Association in the autumn, and present our findings at the international permaculture convergence in September.
Status: ongoing (implementation)
6. Food (original)
Design tool: not used yet
My original plans for this design were sketchy - I wanted to incorporate something about food into my diploma, but wasn't sure whether this would be linked to my garden design, or a wider, overall design about where my food comes from. A friend let me grow food in his garden, and I did an initial survey and some planting, and pondered using that site as part of this design, but as we've now decided to move house, my energy for that site has waned and I've now decided to let him know I won't be using it any more. This design may come back in when we move house and are likely to be further away from the local shops.
Status: not started
7. Local soap (new)
Design tool: O'BREDIMET (adapted)
I've made soap a few times over the years, using this recipe, which calls for coconut and olive oils (and caustic sofa). I like it - I'm not sure it saves much money, but I know what's gone into my soap, and I like the process of making something useful. However, I got to wondering whether I could do it using oils that were grown somewhat closer to home. I've therefore been experimenting with recipes, quantities, different oils, beeswax, and generally making a fine old mess. I think I may have made a workable soap, and also a liquid soap, but there's a bit more experimentation I can say for sure. Each batch has to cure for at least 8 weeks before it's ready for use, so this is taking a long time! Once I've finalised my recipe I'm hoping to have a few friends test my instructions before creating an ebook.
Status: ongoing (implementation, (re)evaluation and tweaking)
8. Zone 00 (new)
Design tool: design web
This is a recent addition - I wrote about it a couple of weeks ago here. It came about because I realised how overwhelmed I was with all the different things in my life, and how I wasn't looking after myself properly as a result. I'm enjoying various aspects of this design, and I think it's one that will travel through to the end of my diploma (and beyond), even if I don't use it in my portfolio.
Status: ongoing (action, momentum, reflection)
Looks like my next step is to go back to the diploma accreditation criteria and redesign my action learning pathway with some clear goals...