The Process in Big Steps

This is Marc's simple (perhaps simplistic) description of how Sofi works--aimed at the beginner or potentially interested user.

You can click on the objects in this diagram to open referenced pages. **Please click sequentially through the 14 links on this diagram.**

The three green boxes refer to initial work by the enterprise before sending the Sofi Questionnaire out.

The three red circles are the actions taken by stakeholders when they receive the Sofi Questionnaire.

The pink parallelograms are what you do with the results of the Sofi Questionnaire.

> Make overview pages for each of these links below.

digraph { ranksep=.5; size = "7.5,7.5"; rankdir=LR edge [penwidth=3] ratio=1 //edge [style=invis] node [width=3 height=3 style=filled shape=circle fontcolor=black color=black penwidth=3 fillcolor=white fixedsize=true fontsize=30] node [shape=box fillcolor=green1] 1 [label="System"] //[fillcolor=green1] 2 [label="Intro\nEleven\nSpheres of\nInfluence"] //[fillcolor=yellow] 3 [label="Links"] //[fillcolor=yellow] {1 2 3 rank=same} node [shape=circle fillcolor=red] 4 [label="Worlds"] //[fillcolor=pink] 5 [label="State of\nEach Sphere"] //[fillcolor=green1] 6 [label="State of\nLinkages"] //[fillcolor=yellow] {4 5 6 rank=same} node [shape=polygon skew=1 fillcolor=pink] 7 [label="Comparisons"] //[fillcolor=pink] 8 [label="Missing\nConversations"] //[fillcolor=green1] 9 [label="Record\nLearning"] //[fillcolor=lightblue] 10 [label="Make\nAgreements"] {7 8 9 10 rank=same} node [shape=pentagon fillcolor=yellow] 11 [label="Take Action"] //[fillcolor=green1] 12 [label="After Action\nReview"] //[fillcolor=green1] {11 12 rank=same} node [shape=box fillcolor=lightblue] 13 [label="Iterate"] //[fillcolor=green1] {13 rank=same} node [shape=box fillcolor=purple fontcolor=white] 14 [label="Whole System\nChange"] //[fillcolor=green1] {14 rank=same} 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> 7 -> 8 -> 9 -> 10 -> 11 -> 12 -> 13 -> 1 13 -> 14 }

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**1 System:** Select a system, time scale, stakeholders, and stakeholder groupings (called “worlds”).

**2 Eleven Spheres of Influence:** Develop a tentative set of labels with descriptions of the eleven spheres of influence for this particular system. Get feedback from stakeholders and adjust.

**3 Links:** Develop a tentative set of descriptions of links between spheres (33 pairs each the 66 links has unidirectional impacts. They are reciprocal processes.)

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**4 Worlds:** Have each individual select the “worlds” they belong to. (Have a knowledgeable analyst and local person check for accuracy and completeness.

**5 State of Each Sphere:** Have stakeholders make assessments about the state of each of the eleven spheres of system influence.

**6 State of Linkages:** Have stakeholders make assessments about the state of the relationships between spheres of influence. Have stakeholders give evidence for their assessments. Have stakeholders give suggestion for improving the states of connections (which determine the state of spheres of influence).

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**7 Comparisons:** Each person compares their individual assessment map with stakeholder group maps.

**8 Missing Conversations:** Have the previously missing conversations by asking people to comment on the differences between their assessments and other’s assessments, providing their evidence—learning about missing evidence and correcting erroneous information in conversation or through follow up data gathering.

**9 Record Learning:** Update individual assessments, evidence, and suggestions.

**10 Make Agreements:** Find critical opportunities for shared action (collaboration) and select team members to address broken or weak connections.

**11 Take Action:** Change something and see if it works better overall.

**12 After Action Review:** Compare individual assessments with prior assessment and with other’s assessments—noting progress as well as identifying stubborn areas.

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**13 Iterate:** Repeat the process continuously to transform the system and stay ahead of environmental or competitive change.

**14 Whole System Change:** Analyze system state assessments by “worlds”, from most capable to most distressed. Track global change over time.

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Next: Worlds