With the card game Journey of Progress you can take a first step towards formalising your shared understanding on how and why change is supposed to happen in a given context.
| Use it to | Find a collaborative vision and explore your contribution to impact. |
|---|---|
| Who to involve | Your team and your (societal) partners and beneficiaries. |
| Results | A draft Theory of Change, an overview of change elements. |
What is Journey of Progress?
Journey of Progress is a card set for your team, project, initiative, unit, or your class. It helps you to:
- familiarise your group with backcasting and thinking about complex, long-term processes (like creating impact);
- start thinking of your Theory of Change;
- reflect on whether you are taking the right steps to achieve a long-term change.
The cards facilitate a collaborative discussion, helping you to think about a joint goal and ways to get there, building pathways from a desirable future to the specific actions and necessary steps needed. You can use Journey of Progress in various contexts to understand envisioned change processes. It allows for a more interesting, structured and time efficient approach to developing your Theory of Change.
How to play Journey of Progress?
Use it during a workshop or a meeting with your team, partners and beneficiaries, or in your lectures. With at least two and up to six players per set, having a good mix of people with different backgrounds and carrier stages gives the most insightful experience. The only thing you need is a shared topic between players, a table, some pens, and a set of the game.
Journey of Progress is based on Theory of Change, a method used for planning, monitoring and evaluation of societal impact. Click the buttons below to learn more about the method.
Below we offer a downloadable slide deck that can support delivering a workshop using the Journey of Progress game – for example when learning about and constructing a Theory of Change, defining joint goals and ambitions, or reflecting on the societal impact of a group, project or initiative.
How to get Journey of Progress?
Get your own set of the game by filling out the form below. Once we received the form, we will reach out to you to confirm and discuss more details, including any costs.
A set of Journey of Progress has materials for up to 6 people:
- 1 guide with tips and tricks for the session;
- instructions for each player walking them through the process;
- 52 cards that prompts players to think about their vision, actions, outputs and outcomes;
- sticky notes of various size.
Would you like to play with more people? Use multiple sets to make groups and compare your results at the end of your session.
Submit form
Contact
Journey of Progress was developed by the Evaluating Societal Impact strategic project with input and feedback from colleagues across Erasmus University Rotterdam and beyond.
Share your experiences, suggestions, questions and feedback via e-mail. If you have any questions about the theoretical content or background of the game, feel free to reach out to Stefan de Jong. If you have any questions about the logistics or pricing, please reach out to our ESI team.
Cite this tool
Evaluating Societal Impact (2024). Journey of Progress – Theory of Change card game. Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Physical object. https://doi.org/10.25397/eur.25311478