Ecocycle Planning

When to use Ecocycle Planning

Use Ecocycle Planning when you need to assess the health and balance of a team's or organization's activities, identify bottlenecks, and prioritize actions for improvement and innovation.

What it solves

Siloed thinking, inefficient resource allocation, resistance to change, lack of strategic alignment.

How to run Ecocycle Planning, step by step

1. Introduce the Ecocycle concept and distribute blank maps. (5 min)
2. Participants individually list all activities occupying their time. (5 min)
3. In pairs, participants decide where each activity fits on the Ecocycle. (10 min)
4. In groups of four, finalize the placement of activities on the map. (15 min)
5. Each group puts activities on sticky notes and places them on a large, shared Ecocycle map. (15 min)
6. The whole group steps back to observe the patterns and identify areas of consensus. (15 min)
7. In small groups, create first-action steps for activities needing to be stopped (Rigidity Trap). (10+ min)
8. In small groups, create first-action steps for activities needing more resources (Scarcity Trap). (10+ min)
9. Discuss activities with no consensus and create action steps to address the differences. (10 min)

Materials needed

• Blank Ecocycle map worksheets
• Large wall-poster version of the Ecocycle
• Post-it notes
• Markers
• Timer

Facilitator tips

• Start with a smaller, more tangible program for the first session.
• Emphasize that all phases of the Ecocycle are necessary for a healthy organization.
• Clearly define the scope of activities being considered.

Common pitfalls

• Trying to map too many activities at once can become overwhelming; start with a focused set.
• Participants may struggle to categorize activities; provide clear examples and facilitate discussion to reach consensus.

Variations

• Map relationships instead of activities.
• Combine with other Liberating Structures like Panarchy or 1-2-4-All.

Running it online or hybrid

Use a shared digital whiteboard where participants can place virtual sticky notes representing activities. Facilitate discussion via video conferencing, ensuring everyone has a chance to speak.

What it produces

A visual map of activities plotted on the Ecocycle, along with prioritized action steps for each quadrant.

Origin

Adapted by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless from Brenda Zimmerman and ecologists. — source

Build a session around Ecocycle Planning

METODIC places Ecocycle Planning inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.

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