3. History of the Issue

The purpose of this exercise is to understand the history and timeline of the issue you have chosen to address with your campaign.

Considering the historical ‘roses, buds, and thorns’ around the issues at the heart of your campaign will help you to identify and reflect on other ways that this issue may have previously been addressed in your community of focus. This knowledge helps to deepen the context and logic in which you develop the campaign messaging and plan.

The Exercise

1. Begin by taping a string horizontally (about six feet across) on the wall. Add a sticky note to the left side that says “Past” and another one on the right side that says “Today”.

2. Introduce the exercise by explaining that participants will be conducting timeline-based research on the campaign issue. There are four colors of sticky notes that will be used in this exercise to identify important historical information about the campaign.

» Yellow / Milestones - Use yellow notes to identify major events that have happened around this campaign/issue in the past. Specific dates are not as important as the sequence.

» Pink / Roses - Use pink notes to identify positive historical events or actions around the issue. It can be related to previous legislation that was passed (or which failed to be passed), a successful public event, a speech someone gave to establish the issue, or any other relevant public treatment of the issues at the heart of your campaign.

» Blue / Thorns - Use blue notes to identify negative historical events about the campaign. What has caused derailment or counter-action against the issue? What have been some weaknesses in the history of the issue?

» Green / Buds - Use green notes to identify opportunities or ideas. These could include a potential partner, a relevant piece of data, a creative idea, a possible funding source, or something else that can help you with the current campaign.

75 minutes

- String

- Tape

- Sticky Notes (pink, yellow, green, blue)

- Markers

- Computers or mobile phones

Notes: