Social Presencing Theatre - 4D Mapping

When to use Social Presencing Theatre - 4D Mapping

Use this method when you need to foster a deeper understanding of complex social or environmental issues, identify leverage points for change, and move beyond cognitive understanding to embodied sensing.

What it solves

Lack of understanding of systemic relationships, inability to identify root causes of problems, difficulty generating innovative solutions to complex issues.

How to run Social Presencing Theatre - 4D Mapping, step by step

1. Introduction (10 mins) - Introduce Social Presencing Theatre and 4D Mapping. Share background information and case examples. Conclude with a brief somatic warm-up (e.g., silence, slow movement) to encourage presence.
2. Co-Initiating (10 mins) - Present the case to be explored. Clearly define the roles. Remind participants to embody the role as it is, not as it should be. Do a brief body-awareness exercise (sensing the back of the body and the ground beneath the feet).
3. Co-Sensing (20 mins) - Call out each role and invite volunteers. Participants choose a position in the space based on their felt sense of the role in relation to the center, edge, and other roles. Each participant speaks one sentence from their role's perspective.
4. Presencing & Crystallising (20 mins) - Invite participants to transition into movement from Sculpture 1 to Sculpture 2. Allow the movement to unfold gradually and intuitively. Once the sculpture has come to a natural stop, each player says the name of their role and one sentence that reflects their experience of this new configuration.
5. Generative Dialogue (20 mins) - Guide a group reflection on the experience of moving from Sculpture 1 to Sculpture 2 using reflective questions. Invite everyone to step out of their role consciously.

Materials needed

• Name tags or labels for roles
• Cards with role names
• Background information handout
• Case examples
• Seats positioned in a circle
• Note-taking materials

Facilitator tips

• Reassure participants that there is no right or wrong way to embody a role.
• Emphasize that this is an embodied exploration, not a performance.
• Encourage participants to follow their felt sense rather than overthinking their movements.

Common pitfalls

• Participants may hesitate to take on a role - emphasize that participation is voluntary.
• Participants may intellectualize the exercise rather than embodying the role - remind them to focus on their felt sense.
• The movement phase may feel awkward or uncomfortable - encourage participants to trust the process and allow the movement to unfold naturally.

Variations

• Use different types of movement prompts (e.g., sound, touch) to stimulate the transition between sculptures.
• Incorporate visual aids (e.g., images, objects) to represent the roles or the system.
• Extend the generative dialogue phase to allow for deeper reflection and action planning.

Running it online or hybrid

Consider using breakout rooms for smaller group reflections and a virtual whiteboard for capturing insights. Ensure participants have cameras on to enhance the sense of presence.

What it produces

Two 'sculptures' representing the current and desired states of the system, along with insights and reflections on the transition between them.

Origin

Adapted from Social Presencing Theatre methodology (Hayashi, Scharmer, Presencing Institute) — source

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