The A.R.E. Curricular Innovation Process
We know an awful lot about the awful performance of most committees. And yet they remain our go-to method of organizing for collaborative intelligence. As Bill McKay said, "there has got to be a better way!" And there is. Here we introduce the A.R.E. iterative collaboration technique. |
Sketch
- Group is convened with an initial problem statement
- Initial discussion explores the problem and refines the statement
- Toss around ideas in a non-committal, free from criticism manner.
- Individuals or pairs are assigned, perhaps randomly.
- N1 weeks available to generate a comprehensive solution sketch
- Presentation meeting. One pager circulated beforehand. Each idea presented in structured N minute talk followed by round the room comments and feedback, all of which must be "iteration forward."
- After N2 weeks of work on refining the idea so as to best win the groups' support, presentations are repeated. Participants then do ranked-choice voting on the proposals and the top few are handed off to a dictator for reconciliation/combination/optimization.
- Upon return to the group, if some fixed majority does not like it we go back to earlier step in the process and try again.
NOTE: no one is guaranteed that just because they put a lot of time in on something it will be adopted. The best idea for the institution will be adopted and we need to hear a wide variety of THOUGHT-THROUGH ideas not just little pet sentiments tossed out along the way.