PlaceCal Theory of Change¶

Ultimate Goal¶

Create a digital commons of high quality, accurate, timely and trusted information about community activity, owned, curated and operated by a real world network of community organisers.

Overview¶

PlaceCal's theory of change is based on Transitions Theory - a framework for understanding how systemic change happens through different levels of society.

flowchart TB
    subgraph Activities [ACTIVITIES]
        direction LR
        A1["🎯 **Strategise**<br/>Figure out what a reorganised<br/>community tech sector looks like"]
        ~~~
        A2["👂 **Listen & learn**<br/>Engage communities locally and nationally<br/>on their digital capabilities"]
        ~~~
        A3["⚙️ **Develop**<br/>Improve the PlaceCal software<br/>to meet community digital needs"]
        ~~~
        A4["📚 **Train**<br/>Develop appropriate training programs<br/>for various people and groups"]
        ~~~
        A5["📝 **Document**<br/>Record what we do towards our goals<br/>so our progress can be shared"]
        ~~~
        A6["🔧 **Maintain**<br/>Project admin and running<br/>the company as a whole"]
    end

    subgraph Assumptions [ASSUMPTIONS]
        direction LR
        AS1["🛠️ **Our tool is what is needed**<br/>PlaceCal is the key tool to connect<br/>up community groups"]
        ~~~
        AS2["💪 **We are capable of building it**<br/>Requested features are technically possible<br/>within budget constraints"]
        ~~~
        AS3["🤝 **Groups want to work together**<br/>Cooperation is desired —<br/>people aren't happy in silos"]
        ~~~
        AS4["🏛️ **Digital inclusion interest**<br/>Programs are interested<br/>in our approach"]
        ~~~
        AS5["👥 **Enough skilled people**<br/>Are there people who can do<br/>both social and technical sides?"]
    end

    subgraph Measures [OUTCOME MEASURES]
        direction LR
        M1["📅 **Training sessions run**<br/>Events database"]
        ~~~
        M2["🗣️ **Steering group meetings**<br/>Events database"]
        ~~~
        M3["🤝 **Partnerships engaged**<br/>Partnerships database"]
        ~~~
        M4["🚧 **Barriers identified**<br/>Barriers database"]
        ~~~
        M5["✅ **Barriers overcome**<br/>Barriers database"]
        ~~~
        M6["👥 **Groups added**<br/>Metabase report"]
        ~~~
        M7["📋 **Events listed**<br/>Metabase report"]
        ~~~
        M8["🐛 **Features & bugs**<br/>GitHub tickets"]
    end

    subgraph Outcomes [OUTCOMES]
        direction LR
        O1["💼 **Create a business model**<br/>Make a plan for how we can<br/>sustain the business"]
        ~~~
        O2["📣 **Design pitches**<br/>Create pitches agreed with<br/>community partners"]
        ~~~
        O3["🏘️ **Establish main CTPs**<br/>Help groups work better together<br/>towards digital capacity"]
        ~~~
        O4["🌍 **Support other communities**<br/>Get communities using the software<br/>and improving connections"]
        ~~~
        O5["📚 **Build training & evidence**<br/>Create end-to-end process for<br/>engaging and rolling out PlaceCal"]
        ~~~
        O6["🚀 **Complete PlaceCal v1.0**<br/>Get PlaceCal to a standard<br/>ready for wide adoption"]
    end

    subgraph Impact [IMPACT: TRANSITIONS THEORY]
        direction LR
        I1["🌱 **Grassroots**<br/>Community organisers feel empowered<br/>and confident using digital tools"]
        ~~~
        I2["🔍 **Niche**<br/>Individual groups and services are<br/>much more easily discoverable"]
        ~~~
        I3["🏛️ **Regime**<br/>Communities gather information<br/>all in one place"]
        ~~~
        I4["🌐 **Landscape**<br/>Network of networks owned,<br/>curated and operated by members"]
    end

    Activities --> Assumptions
    Assumptions --> Measures
    Measures --> Outcomes
    Outcomes --> Impact

Activities¶

What we do to achieve our goals.

Assumptions¶

What we believe needs to be true for this to work.

Outcome Measures¶

How we know we're making progress.

Outcomes¶

The changes we want to see in the medium term.

Impact¶

The long-term changes at each level of Transitions Theory.