| Session Title: The Power of Metaphor: Using Images for Organizational Analysis |
| Skill-Building Workshop 221 to be held in PRESIDIO B on Thursday, Nov 11, 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM |
| Sponsored by the Organizational Learning and Evaluation Capacity Building TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Maggie Huff-Rousselle, Social Sectors Development Strategies, mhuffrousselle@ssds.net |
| Bonnie Shepard, Social Sectors Development Strategies, bshepard@ssds.net |
| Abstract: Using the American Evaluation Association as a practical unit of analysis, participants will practice an imaging technique that can be used as a qualitative method for highly participatory organizational evaluations. This technique has been used over the past 12 years on very different organizations working in Africa, Asia and North America, and examples from the purposes served by the technique and the insights gained will be provided as part of the workshop. The imaging exercise provides rapid insights, via contrasting or similar themes, and can be used as an ideal icebreaker to launch an organizational self-analysis and strategic planning process, where the evaluation approaches and techniques merge into the design of interventions. The technique was inspired by Gareth Morgan’s classic book, “Images of Organization,” considered a break through in thinking because of the ways in which it used metaphors to analyze and explain organizations. |