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Catalytic Style

Catalytic style is a an approach to having conversations that helps the solution emerge from the client rather than  having it planted by the consultant. I learnt this approach from Nick Zienau at Intelligent Action, and it is well worth taking the time to practise using it.

The rules of Catalytic Style

  • Keep the focus on the client.
  • Ask short, open questions to keep them talking (what, how, but not why).
  • Offer quick summaries to show you are listening.
  • Don’t offer your own solutions – this is about keeping the focus on the client.
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Continuous place based design

Diagram is titled continuous place based design and is showing a design process in a continuous loop. The four points in the process are observe, brief, idea and model and test.

Continuous place-based design is a model that creates a transition towards regenerative design.

The key elements of continuous, place-based design:

  1. Design should exist as part of a long-term connection with place.
  2. Design that starts with and regularly returns to a practice of deep observation.
  3. Design that respects the complexity of the human-living system.
  4. Design that tried to work with what is emergent – with what the system is trying to do.
  5. Design that humbly seeks to unlock the potential of place.
  6. Design that is always learning from its actions through long-term repeated practice.
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