ASP Conference – San Francisco, California, March 16-18, 2016SWallis@MeaningfulEvidence.com

Steven E. Wallis, Ph.D.Director of Meta-Analysis, Meaningful EvidenceFulbright Specialist, Consulting on theory, policy, and strategy

ASK MATT: A Gamified Approach to Stronger

Strategic Plans

Morrie WarshawskiIndependent ConsultantNonprofit strategic planning and meeting facilitation

AGENDA• Welcome / Introductions• Game Rules• Choose a Topic• Play the Game• Short Break• Reflections / Background • Conversations & New Directions• Appreciations

Disconnected

• USF, SFSU, UCSF• Hwy 101, Hwy 1, roads, bus

routes, cars, SFO airport• Haight Ashbury• Baseball• Phone book – full of data

Interconnected

The importance of Maps: Which is more useful for navigation?

4

Basic Pieces for Making Maps• Point of Interest (POI)

• “what” (things that change such as income, expense, hours worked, widgets produced, etc.)

Motivation

??

ProductionWidgets per week

Labor

FTE/week• Causeway• “how” (shows how changes in one

POI cause changes in another)

• Gold Star• Bonus Points!

5

Game Play Think of a concept (or a causal connection

between concepts)

VOTE "is the card valid?"

Measurable POI = BONUS POINT

CAUSEWAY must be causal!

Write the idea on a card (or choose a connection

card)

Place the card on the map

Score!

2 Min.

6

Typical game after four turns with six players

7

Choose a Topic

And PLAY!

8

10 Min. Break

Background and FutureWhat was your experience playing the game?

Background and Future

Four (or more) Problems with strategic planning!• Time, Effort, & Cost• Varity of methods: intuition, data, collaboration• Low buy-in• Low benefit (e.g. SWOT)

11

3 3 = ?

Pop Quiz

= 0?= 1?= 6?= 9?

12

Transformative structures support good research (“knowledge” vs. “data”)

• Aristotle• Nomological Nets• Integrative

Complexity• Multiple variables• Partial Causality• Benefits of Mapping• Propositional

Analysis

Background and Future

A

C

B

13

Structural Quadrants

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

Breadth

Dep

thHere is where we want our plans to be

Most strategic plans

are here

Theories/ “laws” of

physics and engineering

Prophecies of Nostradamus,

Trivia games, etc…

14

Improving Maps

A

D

E

CB

F

H

G

“Drill Down” to create

new map for individual

departments

Research key debates

How might you close a

loop?

Improve Map & Increase Score:

1 – More concepts2 – more connections3 – More loops

Annual Follow-up

Game

Discuss “Leverage

Points”

Can similar POIs be

combined?

What training, coaching, restructuring might support success?

Explore “white spaces”

How is that

measured?

15

“Road Trip” – the Long GameCreating and enacting a strategic plan

• Choose POIs for metrics• Identify existing levels and choose new goals• Individuals and/or teams collect data• Data is entered to spreadsheet or dashboard platform• Each year, recheck map based on data – improve map!

• Use map to identify leverage points• Use map to suggest collaboration

Future Fit

• How might you use this game in your work?• What clients might benefit from this game?• How might this game fit with your existing methods?

Q & A

18

Summary - Benefits for Strategic Planning

• Play opens minds!• Links knowledge• Encourages reflection• Stimulates conversation• Provides a useful action map• Makes CEO’s job a little easier

Thank You!

Now… can we go play?

20

Misc stuff… just in case

21

False Focus on Simplicity

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Bre

adth

/ C

ompl

exity

of

Theo

ry

Simple Complexity of TopicComplex

Hypothetical

Actual

Engineering

Psychology

Entrepreneurship

Conflict

22

False Focus on “data”

KEY: Data is not enough.

Without structure, we loose reasoning ability

23

What Can You Do With ASK MATT?

During Play: • Work with team dynamics• Ask challenging questions• Teams can report back to whole class• Teams can link smaller maps into larger

After-Play:• Immediately useful for application• Clarifies points for collaboration • Clarify directions for research

Sources of Data: • Personal experience • Text books• Academic books• News items• “The Daily Show”

Some Uses:• Learning about theory• Learning about current events• Team projects

24

Key Assumption

If we live in a world of systems that world would be best

understood when our knowledge is more structured

25

Quadrant #3

Many very large firms are here May have medium term success Difficult to gather and interpret data More difficult to coordinate

Quadrant #4

Few firms are here Long term success Few unanticipated consequences Easier to coordinate, & adapt

Low

Bre

adth

Hi

gh

Quadrant #2

Many utilities & commodities are here May have medium term success Narrow focus, some large surprises Easier to coordinate, difficult to

adapt

Quadrant #1

Most firms are here

• May have short term success• Many unanticipated consequences• Typical strategic plans are here

Low Depth High

Key:Objective Evaluation

26

Let’s Play the ASK MATT Game (short & simple version):

Basic Rules:• One idea per circle (may be complex or simple)• Only causal connections are allowed

Bonus points • When box is measurable• For creating “transformative” structures

(two arrows pointing to one box)Play Supports

• Participants to co-create structured knowledge (more useful map)

27

Map ScoreBREADTH= 8DEPTH = 0.25

A

D

C

CB

F

H

G

28

More Structured Theories are More Useful!Electrostatic attraction theory (Wallis, 2010)

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

0 500 1000 1500 2000

Sys

tem

icity

Year

Evolution of Theory Toward Greater Usefulness

Stru

ctur

e

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

0 500 1000 1500 2000

Sys

tem

icity

Year

Evolution of Theory Toward Greater Usefulness

29

Concepts and Connections

30

Concepts and Connections

31

Supports More

Supports More

Supp

orts

Mor

e

Supp

orts

Mor

e

Supports

More

Supports

More

Supports MoreNext Steps

Trained & experienced professors

Publicity for your university

ASK MATT game & support from M.E.

Successful graduates

Successful teaching

Attraction of quality /motivated students

Quality classroom experience