Jtm-pnw-session-common-challenges

Session notes prepared by Pamela Kilborn-Miller

FRIDAY SESSION TITLE: How can we make it easier to publish and find proven solutions to common challenges (such as environment, education, energy) that integrates global, national and local levels with biz, government, education and other sectors? Listed at http://www.newshare.com/wiki/index.php?title=Jtm-pnw-fri-sessions.

SUMMARY: There's a need to make it easier to find and publish proven solutions to common challenges in education, environment, energy etc. This session defined the "Anatomy of a Solution" and related topics.

INTRODUCTION

• How shall we make it easier to publish, find, and apply proven solutions to common challenges in the environment, energy, education, and other areas of common concern?

ATTENDEES

• Convener - Pam Kilborn-Miller (researched "solutions" and "knowledge sharing strategies" via the United Nations in graduate school)

1. Yes! Magazine Web Editor - Brook Jarvis (Yes! currently publishes solutions)
2. Yes! Editorial Intern - Berit Anderson (former Huffington Post blogger)
3. Another person who previously interned at Yes and volunteered at the Journalism That Matters event.

SOLUTION FACETS

• Each element below can play a unique role in addressing global warming and other challenges:

1. Geographic Reach - Global, National, Local
2. Sectors - Business, Government, Academia, Citizens, etc.
3. Domains - Environment, Energy, Education, Economy, Health, etc.
4. Bridges - Intergenerational, Transpartisan, Interfaith, etc.

ANATOMY OF A SOLUTION

1. Case Study:

a. Context (people, history, culture, motivation for change) b. Problem (situation) c. Steps to Solve the Problem (process) d. Tools (policies, technologies, campaigns, etc.) e. Measurement & Evaluation (triple track ROI, fast wins, hierarchy of needs, complexity, etc.) f. Verification (biggest challenge)

2. What's Next? (For example, if steps were taken to successfully reduce carbon emissions in Seattle, what's the next task to further reduce emissions?)

3. Recommendations: What worked and didn't work well?

4. Team: Staff, vendors, and others with contact info with permission to contact (or not)

Note: This project might create a new opportunities for business who solve problems to get more visibility.

SUGGESTIONS

1. Start local in Seattle/Vancouver/Portland
2. Create sustainable, replicable, and scalable model for publishing solutions
3. Journalists and citizen journalists provide content
4. Publish to site users can browse (aka wikipedia) and/or search (automatic drop-down suggestions like Google).
5. Language translation strategy (long-term)

ISSUES

1. Credibility, Quality, Simplicity
2. The context will drive the content. For example, Yes! might not need to use the above "Anatomy of a Solution" but it was still helpful to breakdown the possible components for a larger scale project that helps people share proven solutions to common challenges. If there's a consistent format, it will be easier to compare solutions.

For more information, please contact PamKM at 206-781-1500 or pamkm@comcast.net in Seattle. Thanks.