History Map

In-Person Instruction 1. Obtain a long piece of paper (5-10 meters) and place it on the floor or wall. 2. Draw a timeline representing your project or team experience, including months and key events such as highlights and lowlights. For lengthy projects, focus on the last 3-6 months. Online Instruction 1. Use a virtual whiteboard (e.g., Miro or Mural) to create a timeline. 2. Follow the same steps as the in-person instruction to represent your project or team experience on the virtual timeline. Helpful Tip: If necessary, provide a brief demo video or send simple instructions for using the virtual whiteboard before your workshop/meeting. You can find numerous instructional resources online.

Ask participants to record their experiences, covering aspects like highlights, lowlights, learnings, challenges, successes, and other significant moments. Allocate sufficient time (15-30 minutes) for individuals to note down their top experiences and position them on the timeline. For online sessions: Facilitator: Prepare virtual sticky notes, emojis, and other tools for participants to document their experiences and place them on the virtual whiteboard. Consider playing some soft music in the background while participants work on this task.

Once the map is complete, request participants to discuss their top 1-3 Highs and Lows. The facilitator determines the number of Highs/Lows to be shared, depending on the group size and available time.

Optional Final Step: 1. Ask the participants to take a moment of silence and individually think about the experiences they've just shared and listened to, focusing on the most significant moment for them. 2. Allow 2-3 minutes for this reflection. 3. Instruct participants to place a sticky note or a tea light candle on the most important moment for them, and briefly explain why it's significant. 4. Continue this process until all participants have placed a candle and shared their thoughts. For online sessions: Participants can use a virtual candle or sticky note.