Adaptive Change Canvas
Based on Adaptive Leadership for participatory change planning.
PURPOSE
The Adaptive Change Canvas is used to plan change processes in complex environments in a participatory and adaptive way. It addresses the problem that many changes are technically planned even though they represent adaptive challenges where those affected must themselves be part of the solution. This enables change planning that accepts uncertainty and puts the participation of those affected at the center.
HOW TO USE
Use the canvas in a workshop with relevant stakeholders. First analyze whether you face a technical or adaptive challenge. Identify the involved factions and their losses from the change. Define experiments instead of final solutions and plan regular reflection loops. The canvas is based on the Adaptive Leadership approach and requires the willingness to relinquish control and make those affected into participants.
WHAT IT IS
The Adaptive Change Canvas is a planning tool for change processes based on the Adaptive Leadership approach by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky. It distinguishes between technical and adaptive challenges and structures change planning accordingly. The canvas includes fields for challenge diagnosis, involved factions, potential losses, adaptive work, experiments, and reflection mechanisms.
EXAMPLE
Example: You face the challenge of driving digitalization of citizen services in a city administration. With the Adaptive Change Canvas, you distinguish technical solutions (introducing new software) from adaptive challenges (changing the mindset of case workers) and plan participatory measures where those affected develop solutions themselves.