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Design Facilitation 101: Using Trojan Horses to Sneak Past the Institutional Barriers for Complex Security Affairs
In multiple strategic planning sessions, design working groups, and other situations where my organization confronted some complex, adaptive problems, I gained some valuable insight on organizational change. In this article, I present one approach on how to inject major reform and change without suffering the “Cassandra Syndrome” of Greek lore. My approach over time has also acquired another metaphoric nickname taken from ancient times- the Trojan Horse. As a design facilitator for security organizations in particular, one needs to ‘Trojan Horse’ past the institutional defenses most design methods, models and theories in order to nudge the designers beyond the self-imposed limits that often prevent breaking out of set ways and convergent mindsets. These design metaphors are useful in that they help establish new connections between disciplines of thought, and cast light upon things that we tend to not even realize are operating behind the scenes.
For those unfamiliar, the Cassandra Syndrome (or Effect) is when you or someone else gains critical or creative insight into a complex situation, but cannot warn the organization how best to solve the problem or gain the advantage. Regardless of how often you try to communicate this information, your…
