Process Pathway - Circles of Sustainability

The Process Pathway uses the structure of the Process Circles figure. It provides a guide for practitioners in negotiating the process of making a significant impact upon a designated locale, such as a city, a town or an urban region. Linked to guidelines for each of the stages, the Pathway provides a broad management overview that can be used for small or big projects. It can be used to guide a focussed and discrete project or to frame a general sustainability plan that includes many sub-projects. The Process Pathway is in this sense a meta-tool — a toolbox for organizing the relationship between our other tools.

The Process Pathway logically begins with ‘commitment’ and then ‘engagement’, but the Pathway can be entered at any stage. Each of the seven stages is divided into a series of four phases, organized in a logical sequence of activities as part of the broader Circles of Social Life approach. The various phases of the Process Pathway are linked to associated tools and methods. These tools are designed as part of an integrated, cross-referenced set that can be used as a comprehensive guide or as singular tools, each of which can be taken out of the toolbox and used with or without reference to the other tools.

Process-Pathway---Elaborated-v6-2013

Click here for a downloadable PDF (2.9 MB) explaining the Process Pathway. Linked to the Process Pathway there is a software system — the Circles of Sustainability Assessment Tool — developed through support from the Australian Research Council. The software provides a means for assessing a project against the four domains of the Profile Circles, and for choosing issues and indicators to measure a sustainability project over time.

Follow this link to view the beta version of the Assessment Tool. Please note you will directed to another address and asked to register to use the tool.

Stages and Phases

Process Pathways are organized in an iterative process with defined stages of activity: commitment, engagement, assessment, definition, implementation, measurement, and communication. Each of the seven process stages is divided into a series of four phases, organized in a logical sequence of activities as part of the broader Circles of Social Life approach. The various phases of the pathway are linked to associated tools and methods. These tools are designed as part of an integrated, cross-referenced set that can be used as a comprehensive guide or as singular tools, each of which can be taken out of the toolbox and used with or without reference to the other tools.

STAGE	PHASE	ACTION	TOOL
COMMIT	Affirm commitment to making a difference
	Establish management structure
	Choose framing considerations	Choose general issue
		Choose general objectives
		Choose spatial and temporal frame
	Resource the project
ENGAGE	Consult key constituent groups and individuals
	Entrust collaborators and form a critical reference group
	Empower local communities	Seek critical community feedback
	Empower local communities	Adjust chosen objectives
	Accord recognition to partners
ASSESS	Determine knowledge and resources	Determine local knowledge	Knowledge Profile Process
		Determine strengths and weaknesses
		Determine contested social themes	Social Themes Process
	Analyse data and documents	Analyze existing existing public data
		Analyze existing policy documents and research
		Analyze existing indicators
	Research social context	Research community responses	Social Life Questionnaire
		Research urban context	Urban Profile Process
		Research individual responses	Interview Process
	Project outcomes	Project future scenarios	Scenarios Projection Process
	Project outcomes	Project program scenarios	Intelligent Cities Simulator
DEFINE	Clarify definitions, forces and risks	Clarify general issue and objective(s)	Issue Definition Process, Part I
		Clarify materiality considerations
		Clarify driving forces and risks
	Identify critical issues and indicators	Identify critical issues and objectives
		Resolve tensions between objectives
		Identify core indicators; choose targets	Issue Definition Process, Part II
	Refine project parameters
	Review project plans
IMPLEMENT	Authorize the plan
	Enable project support
	Liaise with constitutents
	Revise the plan periodically
MEASURE	Monitor indicators
	Document project implementation
	Reassess profiles and processes	Reassess Social Life Questionnaire, and evaluate changes Reassess Urban Profile and evaluate changes Reassess Social Themes Profile and evaluate changes Reassess Knowledge Profile and evaluate changes Reassess Strengths and Weakness Profile, evaluate changes Reassess Social Themes Process and evaluate changes Reassess Scenarios Planning Process and evaluate changes Reassess Intelligent Cities Simulator and evaluate changes
	Evaluate project
COMMUNICATE	Translate themes and learning
	Publicize the process and outcomes of the project
	Report to all constituents and relevant agencies
	Advise communities and all levels of government