The Europe Challenge

Problem statement

Use this template to help you start your work together and understand what you are trying to address and why. It’s also useful as a tool to check that everyone is on the same page.

Observe and record

To understand the problem, try observing it in action.
What’s happening? Why is it a problem? Who is it a problem for?
Gain a deeper understanding by asking others to keep a diary or take photos of the ‘problem’ from their perspective. What can you learn from this?

Empathy mapping  and Persona templates

Put yourselves in the shoes of other people using this simple tool. To experience empathy, first decide on a persona. This is a great way for people to have conversations and explore topics through forming a fictional character. By getting people involved in your challenge to define the characters, this technique goes beyond stigma or any intrusion people may experience in relation to their individual characteristics. Looking at a topic through the eyes of someone else can also broaden thinking.

Logic model

This template will help you get started on your project. It asks you to think about the overall outcome you want to achieve and support your understanding of what you plan to do and start to gather ideas for making it happen.

Activities sample session – example for ideas generation

Before you start prototyping solutions and thinking about the practical aspects of your project, it’s important to get creative and brainstorm as many ideas as possible. You will then be able to prioritise the ones you want to bring forward and test.

Stakeholder map

You have arrived as a partnership between community and library. It doesn’t need to stop there. Using this mapping tool, get curious and ask:

• Do we have all the people here we need?
• Who is the ‘we’?
• Who else do we want to be involved with?

Project poster –- for bringing ideas into one place

The project poster encourages you to think about the next steps and what actions need to be taken to make it happen. You can use the project milestones at the bottom of the template to prioritise the actions and keep on track with your progress.

Project planning framework –- for organising outcomes

This template will help you predict and plan what outcomes you are aiming to achieve. Going through each level will encourage you to think about what you want to do in your project as an overall aim, and better understand how to get there.

Focus Groups

Invite a small group of people who have interest in your topic to a workshop to explore your prototyping ideas. This will help you get an overview of reactions to your topic and help you add ideas that you may have overlooked. Make sure you have a sample of people who are relevant to the topic. Prepare carefully so they are able to share their thoughts freely and comfortably. Make space for their ideas in your prototype.

Collecting stories

This is a great template for helping you describe your challenge as though you were in a social situation. Imagine telling your neighbour a simple story about highlights and best bits. Use this template to plan how to outline your narrative.

Outcomes Mapping – to track outcomes

Once you have started planning your project, it’s time to think about the concrete outcomes you expect to see and the ones you would like to see. Use this template at the start and all along the way to check you are getting the results that you are hoping for.

Most significant change poster – for making a note of impact along the way

This is about identifying what your impact is along the way, thinking about both expected and unexpected changes coming out of the project. Use the poster to gather stories from library users and community members at different stages of the project.

What this is, what this isn’t

Make two lists which sit side by side and clarify what your prototype is, and what it isn’t. Use this method to sharpen your thoughts on what you are creating. Do this in a diverse group with different interests, to understand how people think, what they understand, and more about their expectations. The activity can help you understand more about barriers and enablers, to make your challenge a success.

3D prototypes

This involves making a simple model of your big idea. By making a 3D, physical model, you can explore how effective it is at this stage, before making refinements. This will also help you explain what you are trying to do. Test your model with different people to gain their thoughts. What is the process needed to make your prototype work?

Webpage from the future –- creating a vision of future thinking

This tool helps you create a simulated web page from the future to spark ideas on what your ideal project could look like. For example, 3 years from now, what is the legacy of the project?

Peer to Peer –- coaching and support tool

You are part of a European network of libraries and communities that take part in the Europe Challenge so you can support each other during the programme. Use the template to think about your own project and someone else’s project, and use your external point of view to help progressing each other’s project.

Show and Tell

Invite a diverse group to a Show and Tell event, where you present what you’ve working on. Invite critique on accessibility, usability and feel of your idea. Use this insight to further develop your prototype.