Позитивные изменения. Том 3, № 4 (2023). Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 4(2023) - Редакция журнала «Позитивные изменения»

БЛАГОДАРНОСТИ:

Основателю Академии Historia, члену совета директоров в Storytelling in Organizations Артему Мушину-Македонскому и CEO The Storytelling Leader Дэвиду Хатченсу за вдохновение и идеи для написания этой статьи.

Storymining: How Stories Enhance Impact Assessment, and Their Wider Applications in Social Design

Anna Ermyagina

DOI 10.55140/2782–5817–2023–3–4–68–77

While most people tend to view storytelling as a marketing tool primarily aimed at crafting captivating narratives to capture attention, experts with years of experience in working with stories believe that its utility goes far beyond this narrow perception. Storytelling in impact assessment has emerged as a prominent trend in recent years. Notably, the 2023 conference of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) was dedicated to exploring the profound impact of stories. In this article, we delve into transforming stories into valuable data and insights, and the diverse ways in which storytelling can be harnessed social project and program assessment.

Anna Ermyagina

Partner and Consultant, Historia Academy, trainer on storytelling in business

THE POWER OF STORY

When discussing impact assessment, it is hard to ignore the power of change stories — narratives that depict how the lives of beneficiaries, stakeholders, and interested parties have evolved. These are the stories of individuals affected by project intervention, which marked the beginning of something important and novel, serving as a catalyst for significant transformations. While assessing immediate results provides us with only faceless figures — the number of events, people, views, and so forth — what sets impact assessment apart is our endeavor to uncover the stories of change in the lives, health, and well-being of specific individuals, families, communities, sometimes even entire regions or countries.

It is therefore no coincidence that the American Evaluation Society dedicated its conference, held from October 9th to 14th this year, to stories, or more precisely, to the power of stories.[121] “The shortest distance between two people is a story” echoed as one of the conference’s key messages. Other insights from the conference included “Equality is a principle, inclusion is an action, diversity is a fact,“ “History is what’s unfolding right now,” and “Artificial Intelligence serves us, not the other way around.”[122] Nonetheless, the majority of this year‘s sessions revolved around contemplating the contribution of storytelling to the comprehension and process of project assessment, as well as delving deeper into the utilization of storytelling and its advantages.

The aforementioned phrase, which served as the conference’s guiding theme, belongs to the American writer Patti Digh. It encapsulates the notion that by sharing our stories with one another, we can gain a deeper understanding of our fellow individuals and grow closer connections with them.

The stories we exchange serve as direct reflections of the events occurring in our lives, as well as our interpretations and attitudes towards these happenings. What could be a more perfect resource for use in evaluating social projects and programs?

When we refer to stories for impact assessment, we are talking about brief narratives of individuals’ experiences related to a project, event, or specific activity. By “mining” such stories, we are able to look at the project from the beneficiaries’ perspective, highlighting associated effects and social outcomes. It also helps us comprehend the motivations, values, emotions, and other factors that have influenced the outcomes. Why is this essential? Stories aid in discerning why these changes do or do not transpire, as well as understanding the mechanisms behind their achievement.

During the assessment process, it is also crucial for data collection to be as comfortable and trust-building as possible — ideally resembling a heartfelt conversation. One effective tool for achieving this is the story circle — a group gathering where participants openly share their personal narratives with one another.

STORYMINING: MINING VALUABLE STORIES

From a technical standpoint, a meeting following the “story circle” model is quite simple: participants sit down in a circle, facing one another, and then take turns sharing their stories. However, organizing and conducting such a gathering involves several key steps:[123]

1. Define your framework:

Before convening the circle, it is essential to define your framework — who you are bringing together, why you are assembling these individuals and invite them to share their stories. Depending on your goals, the circle can include current project beneficiaries, the project team, or future beneficiaries to gain insights into their opinions and needs, among other aspects. Do not limit yourself to the stories of direct beneficiaries. Consider the possibility of involving other participants, such as their relatives and others who may also have significant stories to share about the project.

When inviting participants, communicate the purpose clearly. For example: “We are inviting you to a small gathering where you and other project participants can listen to each other and share your experiences gained during the project.”

2. Find a “third place,” or create one

If you are planning to conduct the story circle in person, it is essential to identify a location that fosters openness and does not resemble the office of the project organization or the venue where typical project activities had taken place. This location could be an outdoor setting like a lawn in the park, a cozy lounge designed for casual gatherings, or even just a regular meeting room. The key is to arrange seating in a way that encourages face-to-face interaction and active participation.

If a personal story circle gathering is out of the question, you can hold an online meeting instead, using any remote meeting application such as Zoom, Google Meet, etc.

3. Divide the participants into smaller groups

It is best to have participants work in small groups of four to five people, as this makes it