Sketchpad
The Sketchpad is a tool to creatively and critically think EXCO in a public space.
The Sketchpad is a virtual visioning space for EXCO to think itself now and imagine its future, a sounding board or brainstorming platform for any questions/dreams/concerns/
problems/ideas/critiques/analyses you have about EXCO.
FAQ's
What is the purpose of the Sketchpad?
EXCO wants to keep its eye on the big picture (its Mission), as well as make sure the activities of the organization (its Classes) articulate that big picture. It's easy for an organization to emphasize one at the detriment of the other, perhaps to curb big dreaming when the execution of the dreams becomes too daunting, or to dare to dream big, but fall short of carrying through with that vision through its programming. The Sketchpad is designed to help us keep these two things in tension: to keep dreaming big and also keep on top of the execution of those visions. So this is a space to discuss both visions like improving public access to the U, and executing that vision through, for example, performing more outreach to Twin Cities public high schools.
Here's a (dubiously) scientific metaphor to explain it: after that exciting "big bang" when an organization is first formed, a lot of energy is released. Because our organization is young, we don't want that energy to float off into the void; we want to take advantage of that energy and pull those floating particles into our orb in to use them productively. The Sketchpad will help us collect the detritus from the Big Bang, making sure we harness all that energy.
For what concrete purposes will the Sketchpad be used?
The material on the Sketchpad will provide the content for our "Visioning Meetings." These periodically held meetings are a retreat for EXCO's organizers to deal with the big issues of the organization, and the problems and challenges that we've come up against, a space to breathe and stretch outside of our regular organizational meetings. EXCO is very excited to have its first visioning meeting at the end of Feb 2008, and we wanted to have a place we could keep a log of our concerns and ideas in the 6 weeks leading up to our first Visioning meeting, and this log will give us the raw material from which we will design activities and plan conversations at our Visioning meeting.
Who can participate?
Not just EXCO organizers (the "officer collective"), but everyone and anyone who surfs this site. EXCO is a public organization; it is everyone's, not just the U's, or the Twin Cities. It is meant to address the needs not of the University, but of the University within a society. Let's make this a truly public creative space.
What form can my participation take?
The more experimental the form, the more generative the thinking. Creative form often generates creative content. If you need to write in fragments in order to brainstorm, please do. If you think best in images, share those. Or through poetry, or a series of questions, or a letter to EXCO.
How do I participate?
Click on the tiny red "Comments" below. You'll see what people have already posted. After that, there will be a box for you to post your ideas. Please note that all posts go through the site administrator before they appear, but this approval process doesn't usually take over 24 hours.