What you're doing:

As a problem map helps to make people more aware of the problematic situation which may involve them, a sustainability transition can also be enabled through a map of a better way forward. Sometimes, people do not know that a better way could be possible until you explain or show an alternative for them to consider. When utilizing a change management process that begins by identifying the problem at hand, an effective change manager$$s second step is to create a vision narrative.

You can think of a vision narrative as the inverse of a problem map. A vision narrative will describe a new complex situation that arises due to changing some of the root causes, which alters the activities and infrastructures that arise from them. This new system can be expected to produce new outcomes. Hopefully, this distribution of outcomes will be designed to be more equitable and more manageable, than the current situation. In that way, you have helped the affected$/$interested party $($AIP$)$ envision a better world.

Why you're doing it:

This activity tests your ability to put leadership into practice locally and globally $($as part of Learning Objective $1)$ and to lead a successful change process toward more sustainable ways of life $($as part of Learning Objective $5).$ It will be a useful exercise continued in Week $5$ Assignment, as part of a $3-$step process for managing change. In our personal, professional, and public lives, we often face difficult situations that can be managed more easily with a plan. Identifying the problem, envisioning a better situation, and taking action to change from the current state to an ideal state exemplifies change management leadership. This process helps to gain AIP buy$-$in$,$ determine points of intervention, and coordinate action to make a change that improves more people$$s livelihoods or improves organizational performance.

How you're doing it:

Return to your Ocean Plastic Pollution Problem Map in Week $1\text{'}$s Assigment. Using the same provided diagram as a model to map an ideal situation, replacing the generic categories in the text boxes with more positive contributing factors and outcomes related to the situation you are studying. Refer to the learning materials for more information about each factor.

In addition, write a brief narrative $($no more than a page$)$ to describe how the situation would operate. Tell your audience $($someone who sees your diagram, who is likely to be experiencing the situation$)$ what the diagram is depicting. That is$,$ explain what changes or interventions you plan, the new, positive root causes, how they influence the actors, which more positive activities the actors do or which productive infrastructures they build, and how they impact AIPs in more positive or equitable ways. Challenge yourself to minimize the negative impacts and to formulate a situation that is positive in all five of Wiek$$s dimensions of impacts.