Process Design and Creative Facilitation
On March 19 at 1 PM MST, Michael Rohd will be joining us to discuss how he designs processes that support groups in exploring difficult topics and discussing challenges.
On March 19 at 1 PM MST, Michael Rohd will be joining us to discuss how he designs processes that support groups in exploring difficult topics and discussing challenges.
Michael Rohd is founding artistic director of the 20 year old national, ensemble-based Sojourn Theatre. In 2015, he received an Otto Rene Castillo award for Political Theater and The Robert Gard Foundation Award for Excellence. He is an Institute Professor at Arizona State University’s Herberger Insititute for Design & the Arts and is is author of the widely translated book Theatre for Community, Conflict, and Dialogue. He is Lead Artist for Civic Imagination at Center for Performance and Civic Practice where current initiatives include The Catalyst Initiative, Civic Body & Learning Labs. He was the 2013-2016 Doris Duke Artist-in-Residence at Lookingglass Theater Company in Chicago. Recent/Current projects include collaborations &/or productions with Goodman Theater, Bush Foundation, Singapore Drama Educators Association, Americans for the Arts, Nashville’s MetroArts, ArtPlac America, Cleveland Public Theater, United Way, Catholic Charities USA, Cook Inlet Housing Authority Alaska, ASU/Gammage, Georgetown University & Steppenwolf Theater.
I had the opportunity to work with Michael Rohd in developing my own Process design skills. About a year ago, I wrote a bit about my experiences. Michael helped me see the power of process design.
At Talking About Design, we have defined a process as “a procedure or directions that can be used outside of the context within it was created to achieve a goal.” What is powerful about processes is that they provide guidelines for how to have an interaction, but not specifically what that interaction will be about. The result is a space that is flexible and responsive to participants and that supports creativity.
Michael emphasizes two areas to consider as we strive to become better process designers and facilitators:
- What tactics can we use in facilitation? Michael works with the idea of four core actions from which tactics might be conceived- Imaginative, Expressive, Connective & Critical.
- Who are you as a facilitator? It’s important to consider our own positionality, evaluate our energy and presence, and strive for authenticity.
Michael has developed many procedures and activities that support groups in creative processes, but we should also strive to design approaches to fit our own identities and goals. These should also be adapted to the contexts we are working in. After all, design is about the particular.
Join us on March 19 at bit.ly/TADLiveStream to learn more about Michael’s perspectives on process design and facilitation and to get tips for enhancing your own facilitation work.
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