Developing a vision

In order to take your initiative forward you will need to know:

• The objectives and outcomes you are seeking. Why are you doing it? Who will benefit, and in what way?
• What situation do you envisage? Are you planning a centre, a community grid or do you have some other model in mind?
• How will it be funded? Who will help you make it happen?

If you can write down the answers to these questions early in the process you are fortunate. Things are often rather fuzzy, and everything seems to depend on everything else. Where to start?

Bear in mind that the purpose of your initiative is deliver value and benefits to someone - so what's important is to get a fix on what you are going to do which will deliver benefits. You need to get some ideas for projects or activities, and then work back from those to see what skills, resources and technology you will need.

Deciding on projects and activities

You may develop ideas for projects and activities by

• Initial research
• Networking
• Running workshops with some of the key interests identified during the networking.

Making the Net Work have developed a 'projects game' which works well to help groups develop a vision for their initiative and establish priorities. Details of that here.

Developing the vision is something which won't just be a 'one off'. An initial group of enthusiasts will develop some ideas that will attract others, who will add their own. Later in this eight-step process there is a 'building collaborations' stage, when different agencies who might help should come together with those developing project ideas. This will add to the vision - and some of the interests who might be involved at that shage should come to earlier project workshops too. Commitment comes from involvement.