I will record feedback here of things that were written or talked with from participants throughout the challenge. I will also record my own thoughts of me doing the challenge.
Participant A: Left challenge on day 5. She is a very creative person, she is a graphic designer and an illustrator, she has published a children’s book and posts creative DIY projects on IG. She felt that the challenge was not for her, she felt uncreative. She asked maybe I am not creative. She felt instructions were too hard or too long for her.
My thoughts- these games make you work on other aspects of creativity that is not art, like word associations, problem solving, allowing day dreaming to occur and reflection. It also requires vulnerability.
Participant B: She wanted there to be a way where she could see all her responses together, like a diary. So she can see her own personal journey, and asked it she could see other peoples, she missed sharing experiences with other people.
Both comments made me think if I should do a survey to ask for feedback or keep going. I did not want to overwhelm people with messages, for now I offered my IG account so they can post in the comments of every post. Every post gets sent through whattsapp and posted to IG account created for Challenge. 133 participants but in IG account only 41 followers so far.
Today is Day 9 of the challenge.
Suggestions form participants:
- Some people wanted to see what other people had done, so they could feel part of a group project. Others said they prefer to do it but privately. It makes them feel vulnerable.
- They would like to know what part of the brain they are working. What is the exercise for. Today June 26 I added to the prompt the type of thinking being used for this particular exercise.
- A participant commented she did not respond more because it took an extra step- if it was directly on the chat she would have. I decided to send the IG account, offer DM message and email to see if that improved feedback. Don’t feel comfortable opening the group to comments since I think I would loose the main message.
- Another participant said she would love to see all her prompts in one place, so she could ser her journey from beginning to end. I told her several people are sending me notes from their notebooks, I suggested to get a diary.
- Some people have apologised to me for not doing every day or no day, I have tried to be empathetic and say it is hard for me too, comparing the activity with going to the gym but for creativity.
I decided to do a poll to see how many people where doing it (on day 8), which ones they had done, sent it last night, so far 33 people of the 133 have responded. I am happy about that. Also every day I receive around 4-5 emails, some days more some days less. Sometimes the same people, sometimes different ones that send me 3-4 days at at time and sometimes a one off.
Today is Day 12 of the Challenge. July 1rst. I thought I had lost people, since less people responded some days, but the window activity got around 6-7 responses. I am beginning to realice that this touches on vulnerability with people. When people share they are sharing a private moment, a poem, a small moment, a vulnerability.
Results from Poll sent on June 26
I conducted a WAPP poll in the group saying the following:
We are at the end of week one! Please select all the challenges you completed. Don’t feel bad if you only did one or none! This is like going to the gym- but for your creativity! It requires effort! It’s hard sometimes. Hard for me too! Thank you!
Following was a list of the first 8 challenges.
Although 133 people have signed up not everyone has answered the poll, or participated. I started with 138 participants and 5 have left the group. Today in Day 12. Two new people joined today.
July 4th – We are on day 16. People seem to continue to be engaged. Poll from WAPP group continues to receive answers. So far, 42 people have answered. I did a new survey in Survey Monkey and sent it to the chat, it has been 24 hours and only 3 people have responded. I wonder if it is because they have to click on it instead of responding directly on the chat. I did it in survey monkey because a participant said she would not answer it since it was not private. I am thinking it was only her that wanted privacy since 40 people responded to the other one. I will wait another 24 hours and if not repeat the poll in the chat.
July 10th. The challenge ends today.
– 40 people of 140 have answered the first poll.
– Choose your color seems to be the most popular activity from week 1
– Laugh Out Loud was the favorite overall and favorite from week 2. People sent videos, comments, said they would do it every day, did it in groups, loved it.
– People were vulnerable, share beautiful poems that were very personal.
– I think the challenge was too long. I also did it and missed some days, fount it hard to do daily unless I did it with another person.
– Between 3-10 people sent me emails every day with their activities.
– Second poll I tried survey monkey and only received 12 responses, general comment was it was a link, too much work, people prefer it in the chat even though it is not private.
– Last poll I launched today on the 21st day, I am doing a hybrid. Chose 4-5 questions that did in the chat and in seconds people were responding. Also added a longer survey in google forms and offered both.
– I think future challenges should be shorter, not sure what the right number of days. Thinking of trying 5-7 days
Since first poll resulted in better response than second survey in Survey Monkey, 40 people vs 12. I decided to try both in the last survey. So did some important questions directly in chat with these results so far. And one in google forms, So far 30 people have responded the chat poll vs 10 the google form, but responses are still coming in today- poll was sent three days ago.
SO far these are the results from the chat poll:
Will keep adding learnings to this page!
NEXT STEPS
- Analyse results of all surveys.
- Would love to do two more challenges before September
1. For Creatives- limited to a group of 10 people, open chat, everyone shares their daily activity with group and we answer questions like: I see….I think….I wonder…
2. For Non -Creatives – also limited to 10 people, open chat, different exercises, everyone shares and maybe some exercises are in teams.
3. Challenge for Employees – teachers and staff of University of Hesperides. Online university would offer their staff to join the challenge and activities from 21 day would be sent daily, people would be able to comment and share if they wanted. This challenge would be aimed at reflecting on how exercises can be used in the classroom, how they can build community and teamwork within the group and the classroom. (if successfull). In conversations with head of Teacher training to launch end of July. - Have done games in small groups informally to see how it makes people feel and connect. Will continue to do so over the summer.
- Are trying to approach Brixton Library to do a monthly workshop at the library that involves Creativity and Civics.
- Interview Eva Katherina Herber. (not yet confirmed)
Am analysing her book Activate your Strengths to investigate her methodology. Would like to have exercises where participants discover their strengths and have to use them in creative activities.