The sessions last month in Berkeley were fabulous.

On February 22, about 16 of us gathered to engage in Method Mapping, under the able leadership of Sue Woehrlin.  Method mapping means taking a type of group process you are familiar with, and figuring out how to illustrate it using the Group Works deck.  For example, this time small groups worked on Sociocracy, World Cafe, Anti-Oppression, and more.  We intend to enter the "maps" created this way into our online module, along with posting photos & videos about them.  One of the groups also had an exploratory conversation to notice what we are learning about different ways of creating the maps.  While the people who can participate most effectively have experience both with the Group Works deck and with the particular method under consideration, as long as they have one or the other it's enough to get by.  Overall it was very fulfilling.

The following day, almost two dozen people attended an introductory workshop on how to use the deck, led by Sassy & Tree.  This Applications workshop arose out of a common experience we've been having since the deck was published, which is that when we show it to someone new, the first thing they say after, "Oh!  How beautiful!"  is:  "What do you do with it?"  This workshop is designed to answer that question.  We offered a combination of sample activities to try out, stories from other people's experiences, and collective brainstorming on other possibilities. 

In addition to the public events, we spent hours meeting in Stewards' Circle.  A particular theme this time was our relationship with technology.  There are so many...

Wowie zowie, it's finally here, the tech infrastructure we've been waiting for to map card sequences! It is now possible to select a sequence of cards online and save it for later. Each sequence is assigned a unique URL for later viewing and editing. You can choose a default layout of 10 cards in a row, or make up your own layout within a 10 x 10 grid.  You can start from someone else's layout or sequence and then modify and resave under a new name.  You can even ask the site to "deal" you a random card, thus bringing Group Works tarot online.  The new card-mapping program can be used to save specific sets of cards for such purposes as:

• illustrating a facilitation method
• planning out a session in order by cards
• sharing and discussing with your team

To try out the new card-mapping program, first log in on the regular site (otherwise you won't be able to save any work in the new program), and then go to this page:Card Mapping. The program includes documentation and help pages, visit the links posted there.  This new program is still in "beta," so for any work you care about, we suggest making notes in hard copy or on your own system, or laying out the physical cards and taking a picture for the record.

A huge thank you to Vine, our dedicated programmer.

Good news: Tree & Sue's proposal for a workshop on the cards has been accepted for the upcoming NCDD conference in Seattle!  If you are attending, come and share your experience with the cards...  If you know someone from your network coming to the Seattle conference, encourage them to check out our workshop.  

Group Works Cards:  Applications    Friday, October 12, 2 -4 p.m.

The Group Works deck is a creative synthesis of core wisdom in the field of facilitation and group convening, collaboratively distilled over several years by experienced practitioners from a variety of organizational backgrounds.  Come to this workshop to learn how these pattern cards can be used by groups and individuals for reflection, planning, analysis, and other guidance to generate more alive and productive group sessions.  Participants will receive a color booklet with summary charts, suggested uses and further resources.

On May 10th Tree Bressen and Sue Woehrlin co-hosted a telephone presentation on the card deck with some 45 NCDD members around the country.  Tree and Sue shared the history of the Group Pattern Language Project (and specifically the process that birthed the cards), lead participants through a couple of reflective exercises with the category keystone cards from the deck, addressed possible uses of the cards, and then facilitated an open-ended discussion.  Several other project members participated, including John Abbe, Raines Cohen, Betsy Morris and Amy Lenzo.  Toward the end of the call Sandy Heierbacher (NCDD director) invited the assembled group to brainstorm sugestions for how the cards might be used at the upcoming national NCDD conference in Seattle this coming October. All in all, a very lively event!