Emergent Learning Practices

Emergent Learning consists of a core series of practices that are designed to support individuals, teams, organizations, communities, and networks as they develop and implement strategies, projects, and programs of all kinds.

They range from simple questions to ask to help make thinking visible to a process to convene teams or groups of stakeholders to explore what we know collectively around a question. They are designed to be simple and shareable. Their power to support emergence — to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts — comes from their simplicity, so that they can be shared easily at any level or scale.

EL Questions

At its heart, Emergent Learning is a question/answer dialogue that helps us think and learn together. As such, the power of Emergent Learning rests in the kinds of questions we ask and when we ask them. LEARN MORE

Action Hypotheses

Action Hypotheses are a form of “if/then” hypothesis that we use in EL. While scientific hypotheses propose an explanation of phenomena based on evidence from the past, action hypotheses look ahead to explain what we expect to happen as a result of future action. READ MORE

Before and After Action Reviews

The Before Action Review and After Action Review are simple, straightforward sets of questions to ask before and after an important piece of work — whether it is preparing for a meeting, engaging with board members or launching into a new initiative. READ MORE

EL Table Conversations

EL Tables make it possible for people from within or across groups to come together around a shared, forward-focused, action-oriented question to ask, “What do we know so far?” READ MORE

Learning Logs

It’s easy to forget how far we’ve come; to articulate what we’ve learned. A learning log provides a place where team members can make note of key events and insights as they happen. READ MORE

Learning Agendas

A learning agenda can mean very different things to different people. In Emergent Learning, a learning agenda maps out a plan to learn as much as we can from our own work in real time around a question that matters to us. READ MORE