Categories
Social System Mapping with sumApp and Kumu
Social System Mapping - A new approach to mapping, pioneered by Greater than the Sum, using our data-gathering tool sumApp and the Kumu.io platform. This is where we get started and find our way around.Visionaries/Envisioning: SSM for the Visionary Hat
Everything that happens BEFORE you start setting up sumApp: - How to catalyze a new mapping project. - How to engage the community from the beginning. - How to start to plan the map. Discussions related to purpose, buy-in, starting.Technicians/Mapping: SSM for the Technology Hat
Everything about getting the vision into sumApp and then into Kumu, so the SenseMakers can make use of the map: - Managing sumApp - Managing Kumu - Dealing with data - Visualizing data This is where we talk about the technology.SenseMakers/Sensemaking: SSM for the SenseMakers
Related to what to do with the map once it's done: - Learning - teaching others to 'read' the map. - Using systems-thinking and action-inquiry to mine the map. - Embedding the map into the everyday. Discussions about 'completed' maps.In the News
Share news about your mapping projects and sumApp.
Recent Topics
11/18/19 Session Recording - Sarah Shanahan Presenting RE-AMP Network Social System Map
Big thanks to Sarah Shanahan for presenting her RE-AMP Network Social System Map. Watch the session recording below! Links mentioned in this video: www.reamp.org Blog: A New Visual Language for Networks11/04/19 Session Recording - Louise Clark Presenting One of her many network maps
It was good to have Louise Clark present to our group. Links Louise shared during her presentation https://louiseclark.kumu.io/power-of-partnerships-9129e1a3-5f75-4531-953b-8477c52d8c29 https://www.theimpactinitiative.net/resources/delta-impact-mapping-meta-impact-pathway-uncover-six-stepping-stones-research-impactWhat are the Social System Mapping Best Practices that We're Learning From Our OnRamp Sessions
Hey folks, In the after-half-hour this past Monday, Seth Horowitz suggested we start tracking what we're learning as best practices that are emergent learnings from maps we're sharing. I proposed that we crowd-source that list using a post in our online Community - so here it is. What principles are you learning from our OnRamp sessions and from your own mapping practice that you would suggest we consider 'best practices'.10/21/19 Session Recording - Katy Mamen Presenting the LA Water Resilience Social System Map
Thank you to Katy Mamen for her wonderful presentation of the LA Water Resilience Network Social System Map. It was inspiring to see Katy's great work, and we had a good conversation in the after-half-hour. As part of the after-half-hour conversation we decided to start a post in our online community where we can share the best practices that are emerging from our discussion. You can find that post here. Please contribute your thoughts!10/7/19 Session Recording - Ben Roberts Presenting the What Now?! Social System Map
Thank you so much to Ben Roberts! It was inspiring to hear about the way's he's and other What Now?! partners are using their new map :-) And thanks as well to everyone who showed up and asked great questions! The video when not screensharing is pretty pixellated. But the map sharing isn't as bad and the audio is fine. Worth watching Ben's presentation part (at roughly 21:15) because of how he's using his map.9/9/19 Session Recording - Stephanie Nestlerode and Maya Townsend Presenting Wimberley Valley Works Social System Map
This was a great session! Thanks so much to Stephanie and Maya! Map sharing starts at about 8:10 Further good discussion btwn Stephanie, David Wilcox & Christine at 1:03:50 Doesn't include Tim's Tech Tips session.Hello from London
Hi - I'm David Wilcox, based in London and working with self-styled network obsessive Drew Mackie from Edinburgh (see intro). We've known each other since the 1980s and worked together on regeneration partnerships, community engagement, workshops games and most recently how to use network mapping to support community and network building. I started my working life as a journalist, with seven years on the London Evening Standard as planning correspondent. That was interesting as a way to help stopWhat Connection Options Have You Used And How Did You Choose Them?
Mappers, Defining connection options in sumApp probably requires the least amount of text needed in a sumApp set-up, but it seems to require the most thought. We could all learn from one another's thoughts on the subject. If you have a few minutes, I'd love for you to: If nothing else - share the connection options you've used in any of your maps (even if they're similar to others), If you're willing to expand a little - the process you used to decide, the factors that guided the decision,What is this forum for?
Use this forum to ask questions, initiate discussions, and offer suggestions about DEALING WITH DATA. sumApp does everything it can to help get your data cleaned up & structured so that it works well with Kumu. But even so, data gets messy, and the way data flows from one context to another sometimes demands thought. If you're stuck or confused or just think it could be handled better - let's talk about that here!6/17/19 Session Recording - Walk Through Several Social System Maps & sumApp Set-Up
Here's a link to the transcriptPedro Portelo is Creating Clarity at #SDGGlobalFest
Pedro just shared this with me - they're using sumApp to gather the data for this map. Creating clarity through visualization: Unity Effect at the Global Festival of Action in Bonn Way to go Pedro! Best wishes for the event!Introducing a network obsessive
Hi everyone - I'm Drew Mackie, based in Scotland but working all over the UK with occasional sallies into wider Europe and the US. I've been mapping networks digitally for around 10 years but have been interested in the network interactions of agencies and communities over 50 years (OK - I'm an old guy). A lot of this interest was connected with the design of large scale negotiation games for corporate and government clients - I'm a past Chair of the International Simulation and Gaming AssociationMasterMappers Presents: SSM v SNA + Stats
A conversation with Maya Townsend of Partnering Resources about the differences between how you can use statistics in a Social- or Organizational Network Analysis vs in a Social System Map. Conversation partners are the MasterMappers Sarah Shanahan of the RE-AMP network, Lisa Negstad of Negstad Consulting, Jim Best and Christine Capra.Hey! How do I engage with the community?
You can only submit tickets and comment in the community if you're logged into the knowledge base platform at help.sum-app.net. If you're finding this knowledge base & community from inside of your sumApp account - you can't interact from there (yet!). You need to go log into help.sum-app.net. Sorry about the hassle! We need to get some annoying validation functions set up before you can engage from inside of sumApp itself :-)Connectionpalooza
I'm Maya Townsend and happy to be part of this community! I live outside Boston, MA, where I run a business called Partnering Resources. We specialize in bringing diverse groups together to address complex system challenges. I've been doing Organization Network Analysis for about 12 years now. Most of my work has been working with intact, bounded samples where we know all who are part of the network. I've helped Employee Resource Groups to measure how their work yields concrete results, organizationsGreetings!
I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself. I'm Sarah Ann Shanahan, Community Manager for the RE-AMP Network where I focus on fostering connections and collaboration between people- online, in-person, in-state and across state. Created in 2004, the RE-AMP Network is a generative social impact network, whose unique network approach to Think Systemically, Act Collaboratively, has transformed the way that climate and energy groups in the upper Midwest work toward equitable deep decarbonization. I'mNetworkistas
Here's a little graphic we developed some years ago to explain the different types of network thinking and action.Interrogating a netmap
Here's a little paper that we use to get map members / community builders thinking about how they can use the map in their work. Use it if it works for you. Drew MackieA mapping process in sumApp and Kumu
Here's a screenshot of a diagram that shows how we use sumApp and Kumu to create both netmaps and geomaps based on the same data and managed in sumApp. You can download the attachment. Drew MackieHow should we structure the sub-categories (forums) for the Envisioning phase?
What do you think?This is What We Need Most! Please Share Your Thinking!
One thing I've learned in my years of making custom Social System Maps for clients is this: We need to be generating more real sensemaking with our projects. Our intention to help networks make a bigger difference depends on developing greater sensemaking capacity in networks, and getting network strategists to embed their maps into their ongoing decision-making activities. The challenge is two-fold: 1) Clients (network leaders) don't understand (they have no reason to understand, if we don't helpPlease Help Further Our Understanding
I can't say this often enough - this is a new field. And we don't have all the answers! Especially when it comes to the Envisioning phase. We're still at the bleeding edge of this thing, which means that if you're here, you're the kind of person (like the rest of us) who jumps in & flails around until you find a path that works (at least for the moment). We're all doing that. So don't be shy if you don't feel complete, confident & polished. That's simply not the phase we're in. If you DO feel thoseHow do you help a network understand the value of Social System Mapping?
I want to know how others approach this activity :-)Welcome to the Greater than the Sum Community
Welcome to the Greater than the Sum community! We're all about visualizing the currently invisible dynamics in systems that can enable transformation. We're about collectively making a real and lasting difference. We prioritize equity and regenerating our natural systems. And in service to those higher purposes, we're here help one another learn Social System Mapping, from: Sharing the vision and catalyzing a project, to Using sumApp, Kumu, and other data visualization tools to create Social System
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Announcements
TechTalk - Session Recording - 3/22/21 - Transitioning into the New Survey Interface
In this morning's session Christine explained why we have to go back to the drawing board and start from square one with the much anticipated survey upgrade. Which means it will still be several months before we have a new survey tool and it won't look10/26/20 - Session Recording - TechTalk - Using Liberating Structures with map-hat wearers to connect and share ideas
Thank you to everyone who joined for this tech talk session. We are so appreciative that this Community of Practice is one that is willing to engage and get hands-on. This Tech Talk session introduces using Miro Boards with the group if you are additionally7/27/2020 - Session Recording - Tech Talk - Various approaches to incorporating people and organizations in a map
This Community of Practice Tech Talk video explores the new Dual Elements feature in sumApp as it solves a bunch of problems related to mapping people AND organizations/networks/initiatives. What if you don't need all that robustness? Or what if you don't have the budget for sumApp's 2 Tier IV projects? We'll discuss the possible work-arounds and trade-offs to consider if you can't justify using Dual Elements. Links that were shared in this video/chat discussion: Approaches to Mapping People ANDWhat is this forum for?
Use this forum to ask questions, initiate discussions, and offer suggestions about DEALING WITH DATA. sumApp does everything it can to help get your data cleaned up & structured so that it works well with Kumu. But even so, data gets messy, and the way data flows from one context to another sometimes demands thought. If you're stuck or confused or just think it could be handled better - let's talk about that here!6/17/19 Session Recording - Walk Through Several Social System Maps & sumApp Set-Up
Here's a link to the transcript
Sticky Posts
The Envisioning Forum: For the 'Envisioning' Phase of Mapping and Topics from the 'Visionary' Perspective
Relating to everything that has to happen to get a project underway - before there is something meaningful to look at. If a map doesn't yet exist for a specific group, and you want the group to make one - you're envisioning. You wear the 'Visionary Hat'. Your imagination is engaged with what could exist, but you can't make it happen on your own - because Social System Mapping is an inherently collaborative process. Therefore you need to get others on board - and we have some ideas that will helpWhat Deep Dive Conversations Topics Would You Like Us To Discuss?
Hi Everyone, Please let us know what topics you'd like to discuss during our Deep Dive sessions.What are the Social System Mapping Best Practices that We're Learning From Our OnRamp Sessions
Hey folks, In the after-half-hour this past Monday, Seth Horowitz suggested we start tracking what we're learning as best practices that are emergent learnings from maps we're sharing. I proposed that we crowd-source that list using a post in our online Community - so here it is. What principles are you learning from our OnRamp sessions and from your own mapping practice that you would suggest we consider 'best practices'.What Connection Options Have You Used And How Did You Choose Them?
Mappers, Defining connection options in sumApp probably requires the least amount of text needed in a sumApp set-up, but it seems to require the most thought. We could all learn from one another's thoughts on the subject. If you have a few minutes, I'd love for you to: If nothing else - share the connection options you've used in any of your maps (even if they're similar to others), If you're willing to expand a little - the process you used to decide, the factors that guided the decision,Hey! How do I engage with the community?
You can only submit tickets and comment in the community if you're logged into the knowledge base platform at help.sum-app.net. If you're finding this knowledge base & community from inside of your sumApp account - you can't interact from there (yet!). You need to go log into help.sum-app.net. Sorry about the hassle! We need to get some annoying validation functions set up before you can engage from inside of sumApp itself :-)