The Explorers Loop is a process framework for taking any project or idea forward.
Rules
1.) Choose any make or reflect action spot to begin. I'd pick whatever feels most natural in a given situation.
2.) Then follow the loop around, stopping at each point along the way (even if it’s just for a few moments). If you don’t know where to begin -- ‘Use’ and ‘Imagine’ can usually get you un-stuck. 3.) Come back again. Once you get in the cycle of making and reflecting, you’ll begin to drive your own process forward.
Feel free to modify the specifics to meet your needs. References These are the terms I choose to use for the explorer process. I'll probably even modify them some day. But they are a good strarting place.
Imagine - Project into the future a better path from where you are, you are the start of the imagining and what you want is for life to feel better.
Define - How could you bring this imagining into focus? How could you take a few steps toward this reality to ensure it is what you really want it to be? What would you want for it to be most of all?
Design - How should it work? How could it work? How does it work?
Build - Do it! Put it into action with a little actual factual mind melting, finger testing, back breaking work.
Use - Do it! Put yourself in the actual flow, understand the process and the underlying needs.
Notice - What points of friction exist? What can I perceive about this? How can I measure it? What opportunities are out there for you to grasp? What is possible?
Clarify - How could this be made better based on what I noticed from actual use? What do others think is possible or better? What problem are they trying to solve?
Prioritize - What problems are you trying to solve? What things are you trying to improve? What are the most critical points of focus in rank order? What is most important to you? What is most important to others you care about?
Where did this come from? The Explorers Loop is the first step in an early stage community project called TheExplorers.Life. For this I wanted to share a modifiable design process that is self explanitory. TheExplorers.Life community will be a place for life and work/life explorers to share their explorations and build a public profile as a life / lifestyle design expert. This community will best serve explorers seeking to earn a living from a subscriber base, potentially leveraging add-on products and services.
Happy Exploring!
