Dave Snowden in Canberra

Siwan and I are taking a Dave Snowden course on 1 July 2010. I have done quite a few of Dave’s courses over the years, starting with a Storytelling Course back in the early 2000s. For Siwan this will be her first.

We have noticed that many of our research scientists are using Dave’s Cynefin framework in their work, Richard Stirzaker and Andrew Campbell being two of the most notable. This seminar will build on the Cynefin Framework, and provide a basic introduction to complexity theory in human systems by introducing participants to some core methods and approaches.  It is based on Dave’s award winning work in this area, and is relevant for executives in the public and private sectors who need to understand the theory and application of new complexity-based approaches to strategy.

For those who are interested in undertaking this course, Dave will give a 15% discount to friends of the Australian River Restoration Centre. You can register here.

Nerida

Billabong boy – Arron Wood’s Story

At eight years old, Arron Wood jumped into the billabong near his Mildura home and emerged covered in a toxic, blue-green algae that seared his eyes and left a rash all over his body. It was a pivotal moment for Arron, the beginning of a life committed to preserving the environment that he now shares in his new autobiography, Billabong Boy.

We are interested in Arron’s story as he has won many environmental awards and in 2000, founded Firestarter, a Victorian-based environmental education organisation that uses an innovative ‘kids teaching kids‘ approach to developing young leaders.  Arron also facilitates relationships between environmental industries and businesses, governments and the general public.  Read more about Arron’s story here, or to order the book go to the New Holland website.  In July I am off to see Arron to talk about ways the ARRC and Firestarter can work together.  Siwan

The power of storytelling

A storyteller, like a travel agent, can gather us up from wherever we are and put us down in another setting (John Leggett)

Using storytelling to share knowledge is increasingly being recognised by organisations of all types – private sector, government, non-government -  as a powerful way of influencing people and effecting change.  At the ARRC we use stories and story telling all the time, and to assist you in thinking about using stories, we have put together a new webpage on this topic for you to explore.

Siwan

Synthesising science

One of the most frequent complaints people working in natural resources management make, is that they are bombarded with too much information.  At the ARRC, we believe there is no such thing as too much information, rather, it is the way that information is organised and presented to people that is the key to making it understood and useful.  Nerida and I are about to start some work with the National Water Commission on synthesising research findings into products that make it easy to access and meaningful to people.  How will we do this?  We will firstly focus on what story is being told through the research and then link to the supporting evidence and information that underpins it.  If you want to find out more about synthesising science we run training and seminars on this topic, as well as recommending the Information and Knowledge Resource Kit that is packed full of advice and tools you can use in your communication activities.

Siwan

The National Plan for Environmental Information

On 11 May 2010 the Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts announced a new initiative to address the environmental information needs of the nation. The National Plan for Environmental Information is the first step toward a long-term commitment to reform Australia’s environmental information base and build this critical infrastructure for the future.

The plan will coordinate and prioritise the way the Australian Government collects, manages and uses environmental information. It represents a long-term approach to building and improving our environmental information base. In the first four years, the initiative will:

• establish the Bureau of Meteorology as the Australian Government authority for environmental information
• formalise arrangements to coordinate priorities and activities across government
• review existing information resources, and environmental information activity
• begin building priority national environmental datasets and the infrastructure to deliver them.

To find out more click here.