Identifying the impacts of complex community work is often challenging due to the time lag between the work and the ultimate affects to the clients. Ripple Effects Mapping gives you the ability to tell your stories of the direct and indirect impacts of your work, while simultaneously being engaging and fun. It starts with appreciative inquiry interviews in small group settings, before leading a mapping process that involves storytelling in an online group setting. As participants share their experiences with the facilitator, their stories about the accomplishments, partnerships, and contributions are virtually mapped on the screen. At the conclusion, the participants will have a digital map that contains the learning, actions, and condition changes that happened as a result of a program, workshop series, or event.
Debra Hansen M.Ed., is a professor and county Extension Director with Washington State University, focusing on community and economic development in rural Stevens County. Debra was one of the original architects of Ripple Effects Mapping, developed in 2008 to discover poverty reduction outcomes in individual communities that participated in the Washington’s Horizons Program. She continues to map programs and train others to use this engaging tool. Hansen has a master’s degree in Adult Education from Penn State.
Rebecca Sero, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Evaluation Specialist for Washington State University Extension, responsible for increasing the organization’s capacity to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of its programs and services. Rebecca helps conduct and train on “in-depth” Ripple Effects Mapping and is most often engaged with determining how to best analyze the rich data that is produced from REM evaluations. Sero has a Ph.D. from Purdue University and a M.S. from Miami University.
Download Slides - Ripple Effects Mapping
Ripple Effects Mapping: Peninsula Food Coalition (YouTube Video)
Ripple Effects Mapping Simplified Steps
Ripple Effects Mapping - Resources