Participant Onboarding & Co-creation Guide

Framing for Participants (“You as Co-evaluators”)

As a participant in this action-learning journey, you are not merely the subject of evaluation but an active co-creator of the evaluation process itself. This approach fundamentally shifts the traditional power dynamics of assessment, recognizing that those closest to the work hold essential wisdom about what constitutes value and how it flows through systems.

The evaluation framework you’ll help shape is designed to make visible the often-invisible flows of multiple forms of capital-social, natural, human, cultural, economic, and more-that your collective work generates. By participating as co-evaluators, you’ll develop a deeper awareness of how your actions contribute to regenerative outcomes across multiple dimensions.

As the MultiCapital Scorecard methodology emphasizes, true sustainability requires understanding our impacts on vital capitals relative to context-specific norms. Your involvement in defining these norms ensures the evaluation reflects what truly matters in your context.

Orientation Steps

1. Introduction to Multi-Capital Thinking (Video & Discussion)

Begin with a brief introduction to the multi-capital framework that underpins our approach:

Watch a 10-minute video explaining the eight forms of capital
Participate in a facilitated discussion about which capitals resonate most with your context
Complete a simple reflection exercise identifying capital flows you’ve experienced in your work

2. Co-Creating Your Evaluation Framework (Workshop)

During enrollment calls, you’ll actively shape the evaluation framework:

Identify which capitals are most relevant to your collective work
Define 5-7 key aspects (valued activities) that will serve as focal points for evaluation
Develop observable indicators for each aspect
Establish progression metrics that define what “enough” looks like in your context
Volunteer for specific evaluation roles based on your interests and skills

3. Learning the Tools (Hands-on Practice)

Get comfortable with the technological tools that support the evaluation process:

Set up and practice using the Telegram bot for reflections and attributions
Experiment with voice journaling and text-based tagging
Explore the capital flow dashboard and how to interpret its visualizations
Practice peer attribution to acknowledge value received from others

4. Establishing Baseline Understanding (Documentation)

Before the intensive phase begins:

Contribute to baseline narratives describing the current state across the five systemic spheres
Document existing capital flows within your system
Set benchmarks for each aspect and indicator
Create a shared vocabulary for discussing capital flows in your context

Reflection Prompts and Facilitation Scripts

Daily Reflection Prompts

Morning Intentions:

“What forms of capital do you hope to generate or receive today?”
“Which aspects of your work might contribute most to regenerative outcomes?”
“Who might you collaborate with to enhance capital flows?”

Evening Reflections:

“What was the most valuable exchange you experienced today?”
“Which forms of capital flowed most strongly in your activities?”
“Were there any unexpected conversions between different forms of capital?”
“Who contributed meaningfully to your learning or work today?”

Facilitation Scripts for Collective Sense-Making

Weekly Reflection Circle (60 minutes):

Opening (5 min): “Today we’ll explore the capital flows we’ve observed this week. This helps us understand how value is being created and exchanged in our work.”
Individual Reflection (10 min): “Take a few minutes to note the most significant capital flows you observed or participated in this week.”
Small Group Sharing (15 min): “In groups of three, share your observations. Look for patterns or connections between different experiences.”
Pattern Harvesting (15 min): “What patterns are emerging? Where do we see strong flows of capital? Where might there be blockages?”
Adaptation Dialogue (10 min): “Based on these patterns, what might we adjust in our approach to enhance capital flows?”
Closing (5 min): “What’s one insight about capital flows you’ll carry into next week?”

Mid-Program Evaluation Workshop (90 minutes):

Data Walk (20 min): “Move around the room exploring the visualizations of our capital flows so far. Note what surprises you or confirms your experience.”
Aspect Review (20 min): “For each aspect we’re tracking, let’s discuss: Is this still relevant? Are we seeing the flows we expected? What’s emerging?”
Gap Identification (15 min): “What forms of capital or aspects might we be missing? What’s not being captured in our current approach?”
Framework Refinement (25 min): “Based on our discussion, what adjustments should we make to our evaluation framework?”
Role Reallocation (10 min): “Do we need to adjust our evaluation roles based on what we’ve learned?”

Supporting Participants as Co-evaluators

Throughout the process, facilitators support participants with:

Regular check-ins about the evaluation process itself
Technical assistance with the evaluation tools
Opportunities to refine and adapt the framework based on emerging insights
Recognition of their contributions to the evaluation process
Space to express concerns or suggestions about the approach

By engaging as co-evaluators, participants develop valuable skills in systems thinking, pattern recognition, and collaborative sense-making that extend far beyond the specific action-learning journey. The evaluation process becomes not just a way to assess outcomes, but a powerful practice for developing collective intelligence and regenerative capacity.