Why not learn from other program designers rather than constantly reinventing the wheel? Even when they are located in a different time zone across the globe? Let us share how this worked for us and why the benefits of program shadowing outweigh the costs, even across continents.
Anyone who has ever set up a project knows the time and effort it takes to get through the design phase. Designing for your specific context, according to your means and with your participants in mind is not a task to take lightly. However, it is likely that similar programs already exist that can act either as inspiration (sparking new ideas) or as a warning (preventing you from making similar mistakes).
So when Wikimedia Argentina approached us with the ask to share some insights on our UNLOCK Accelerator program in an informal chat, we thought: Well of course. But why stop there?
Anyone who knows the UNLOCK Accelerator also knows that we love to design major parts of the program on the fly. We do this as a means to give us the utmost flexibility to fully incorporate the needs of our participants as they grow throughout their journey with us. So while the overall arch is set early in advance, we don’t even know the details of what will happen at any given event until we start designing a few weeks prior.
Wikimedia Argentina was in the midst of setting up a new pilot program of their own, Código Cultura, similar to our program in some regards, but placed in a completely different context. Not just because we operate in different countries, nay continents. But also because their participants would have very different backgrounds and needs:
While the UNLOCK Accelerator 2022 addresses social entrepreneurs and open-source activists to make the access to knowledge more equitable in German-speaking regions and Western Balkans; Wikimedia Argentina was looking to drive innovative projects in the cultural and GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museum) context of Latin-America.
We figured the best way to share our knowledge was through a program shadowing model:
Throughout the 2022 run of the UNLOCK Accelerator we invited Angie and Carolina from Wikimedia Argentina to multiple “How to design an accelerator program”-sessions. There, they could follow along as we designed elements of our program in real time. We also used the space to go through some open questions, give advice and share ideas. It was a space to share knowledge, talk about difficulties and brainstorm what would make more sense in other contexts.
These sessions were complimented by our program events that Angie and Carolina also attended, as silent listeners. This gave them the opportunity to see our designs in action and collect their own learnings.
[English translation below]
Del project shadowing pude retomar varios aspectos para implementar en el programa Código Cultura. Primeramente, fue muy enriquecedora la forma en que UNLOCK comunica internamente el proyecto, generando una hoja de ruta clara sobre distintos momentos del programa, acciones clave, recursos, inputs y outputs. A partir de la experiencia de shadowing modifiqué bastante mi idea original, incorporando estos elementos en la fase de diseño. Y a futuro, me gustaría mapear todos estos items en un conceptboard, así como han hecho Lucía y Kannika, sobre todo si la idea es escalar la iniciativa trabajando en conjunto con otras organizaciones. La comunicación interna es fundamental.
Desde el lado de la implementación, comprobé que mantener simples y visualmente atractivas las consignas (en mi caso, una serie de entregables) genera motivación en los participantes, activa su creatividad, les permite volcar colectivamente -como si se tratara de una gran pizarra- ideas, conceptos, propuestas, etc.
Además implementé algunas de las consignas que Kannika y Lucía habían utilizado en sus sesiones grupales, con buenos resultados. Busqué, así como ocurre en UNLOCK, impulsar un espacio relajado y cómodo para los participantes y donde sientan que no están compitiendo sino colaborando mutuamente. Y actividades donde no solo pudieran retroalimentarse de los demás, sino también generen un feedback para el propio programa, recopilando intereses, inquietudes, aprendizajes pendientes.
Fue importante también entender que hay aspectos que no pueden ser previstos ni controlados al 100%. Aprendí de esta experiencia que es necesario un nivel de flexibilidad y espontaneidad para adaptarse a lo planificado, sobre todo cuando estamos trabajando con personas y grupalidades. Estos aspectos fueron parte de las charlas preparatorias de los eventos entre Kannika y Lucía y luego se hicieron realidad en lo práctico. Pienso que es importante que, de antemano, tengamos en cuenta la incertidumbre ya que no necesariamente es un factor negativo.
English translation: From the implementation side, I found that keeping the instructions simple and visually attractive (in my case, a series of deliverables) generates motivation in the participants, activates their creativity, allows them to collectively dump ideas, concepts, proposals, etc., as if it were a big blackboard.
I also implemented some of the slogans that Kannika and Lucía had used in their group sessions, with good results. I sought, as in UNLOCK, to promote a relaxed and comfortable space for the participants, where they feel that they are not competing but collaborating with each other. And activities where they could not only get feedback from each other, but also generate feedback for the program itself, collecting interests, concerns, pending learning.
It was also important to understand that there are aspects that cannot be foreseen or controlled 100%. I learned from this experience that a level of flexibility and spontaneity is necessary to adapt to what is planned, especially when we are working with people and groups. These aspects were part of the preparatory talks of the events between Kannika and Lucia and then became a reality in practice. I think it is important that, beforehand, we take uncertainty into account as it is not necessarily a negative factor.
[English translation below]
Les diría que investiguen primero si existen proyectos similares a los suyos y, en caso de encontrarlos, no tengan vergüenza en escribirle a los referentes. El movimiento Wikimedia se caracteriza por ser colaborativo y abierto, y por construir sobre conocimientos existentes para mejorarlos y replicarlos. Entonces, como parte del movimiento, nuestro accionar debería ser congruente: busquemos desde la humildad espacios donde podamos aprender, poner a prueba nuestras ideas, contrastar con las de otras personas y promover mejoras en el diseño y la ejecución de los proyectos.
English translation: I would tell them [people looking to design a program] to investigate first if there are projects similar to theirs and, if they find them, do not be ashamed to write to the referents. The Wikimedia movement is characterized by being collaborative and open, and by building on existing knowledge to improve and replicate it. So, as part of the movement, our actions should be congruent: let us humbly seek spaces where we can learn, test our ideas, contrast them with those of other people and promote improvements in the design and execution of projects.
Overall, we can safely say that the benefits of program shadowing greatly outweigh the challenges and we can only recommend. A personal highlight: Along the way, we not only had great fun, we also learned about each other’s cultures. I now feel much more informed about the mate tea culture in Argentina.
