Virtual session for 31st March - being able to see 'planning'

Thanks to Lizzy, Danielle, Katy, Chloe, Victoria and Jess

In this session we talked about the use of creative devices to get in the zone - so Chloe suggested a drama icebreaker she uses that we changed for the Skype session (she has children imagine they are an alphabet for 2 minutes and they communicate this through words and movement). Chloe chose the letter m and we all thoght abut things starting with the letter m for 1 minute to create a theme. Movement and music turned out to be a popular starting point - maybe not surprising with so many creative professionals! Interestingly the word 'magic' that went with this theme came into the discussion later - because in project planning (think work or inquiry planning) magic could mean that the final stage  of a creative production is more significant or seems larger than the sum of the parts.

Jess chose material, motivation, monopoly and motivation - I will let you guess the theme!

We talked about appreciative inquiry and that led to a discussion about planning int he workplace - where we have seen it in action  and our experience of it - so the 4 D's
Approeciative Inquiry  (see article in previous blog)
originally from: Cooperrider, D., Whitney, D. and Stavros, J.
Affirmative Topic Choice
The 4-D Cycle
Discovery
The best of what is
Dream
What might be?
Design
What should be?
Destiny
What will be?

but often the planning is a part of the organisation or is personal - people talked about the planing that they had experienced in its various stages: for example planning the inquiry (Katy), planning in schools (Jess, Lizzy, Katy, Victoria), the way that choreographers use the 4D process to stage a dance production (Chloe) or musical theatre productions on cruise lines (Katy) or rehearsal (Danielle) - go to people's blogs to connect with these thoughts!

Planning is a part of life... so whether we 'see' it as looking for positive solutions (apprieciative inquiry) or as more mainstream project planning (see blog notes for this on my last blog) then seeing this process and where we are in it can help orient us in the workplace and in the modules for BAPP Arts. Because we do practitioner research in the final inquiry - the planning also relates to the research cycle people use in the academy in the professional workplace.

I was taught to draw paint and print - but the gallery and commercial success came after - I was never taught "project planning'- but I think it is a great skill and one that professionals need to be more aware of in what they do... 

We thought about our milestones on the course - the important bits - and how planning might help us recognise these better.

So... for those who could not be with us - the questions are: 

Where have you seen or experienced planning in your work/arts practice?

Did you see a pattern similar to appreciative inquiry or project planning?

What milestone have your experienced on the course?

More about communication in the next blog (thank you Katy for bringing up this aspect of planning)...
so...
How can you communicate what you know?