Good Tools

To be relevant to the mandate and concerns of the Islands Institute, tools included in the library should empower interdisciplinary Research and Education.

Critical Friends

Critical friends are people who help and support our projects. They stretch us to articulate our dreams precisely and invite us to see important information from different perspectives. Critical friends are careful to take the entire context into consideration before offering feedback. Yet, while their main purpose is to provide support, they are not afraid to confront us with issues in order to help us become more than we ever thought possible.

Please read the specific tips for the practice of critical friendship at: CRITICAL FRIENDS.pdf

Catalytic Questions

Catalytic questions are specific and situated, so that answering them requires discrimination, decision-making, and development of an action plan. They cannot be answered with a yes or no, or by moving information from one place to another. Catalytic questions emerge from messy, complex problems where research reveals a variety of stakeholders, perspectives. and processes. Coaxing answers from a context, we arrive at more questions along with deep knowledge and creative solutions.

Catalytic questions often begin with the words "Where, What, How or When." Sometimes(although perhaps not often) they begin with the word "Why."

What is poverty?" is not a catalytic question. It is too general to generate meaningful problem definition, discrimination among various strategies and stakeholders, and creative solutions. A more catalytic way to address this social issue could be to ask: What plan can be developed to address the problem of poverty in my community? (Choose two specific strategies and defend your choices.) "Does Victoria have a sewage problem? is not a catalytic question, because it has a yes or no answer, and invites a simple transfer and comparison of information from a variety of existing sources. It is more meaningful to ask:" How can the issue of sewage disposal in Victoria be mapped as a "Social Mess""? Or one might ask: "What can I do, over the next two years, to address the issue of sewage disposal in Victoria, by employing one or more of the Resources, Strategies and Key Concepts covered in this library.

Mind Mapping

A mind map (or mind-map) is a graphic that uses words and images to represent ideas, tasks and associationes that "radiate" from a central question, image or idea. It is a way to engage both sides of the brain in problem-solving.

These are selected foundation structures of a Mind Map, although these are open to free interpretation by the individual:

(See: BUZAN, Tony. The Mind Map Book. Chapter "Mind Mapping Guidelines").

Mind map by Caffyn Kelley for Tabula Rasa Rock by Meror Krayenhoff

Canadian Encyclopedia

Treasure Map