Adaptive blueprinting

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Adaptive Blueprinting (AB) is a process designed to systematically spread solutions to social problems throughout the world. It's power lies in taking ideas that are already working and sharing them with others who can adopt them, adapt them, and ultimately make the original idea (model) even stronger.

AB is for those who believe in the power of existing ideas. As Bill Clinton once said, “Nearly every problem has been solved by someone, somewhere. The frustration is that we can’t seem to replicate [those solutions] anywhere else.” With AB, we can. A relatively simple 5-stage framework and set of pre-packaged tools help to simplify the process of program replication.

The AB framework and tools are related to the issue of scaling in the social sector (non-governmental sector). Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have developed effective local programs often struggle to scale their impact and/or replicate their most promising programs. AB was designed to leverage the collective wisdom of like-minded NGOs to provide a collaborative framework for "scaling-out" as opposed to up (growing the size of the organizations to expand programs). AB is ideal in a sector where the best ideas and models are not patented or considered intellectual property but rather can easily be shared, adapted, and improved upon.

Say anon-governmental organization (NGO) in Ghana has developed an innovative new program in HIV/AIDS prevention in their local community. One method of scaling would be to hire more staff in another nearby community to replicate the program-model there. This would be referred to as scaling-up. Another strategy the NGO could take to scale the impact of the program would be to share the program-model with other NGOs who could adapt the model based on their local circumstances. This is scaling-out, the method AB hopes to promote more of in the social sector by making it more systematic.

Core AB "Building Blocks"

AB is based on three simple principles which taken together constitute a philosophy of sorts for those in the social sector who believe in the power of existing ideas. Proponents of AB argue that if more NGOs operated with these core principles in mind, the sector would benefit significantly from a systematic spreading of best practices, ideas, and models. The "building blocks" of AB are:

* Adapt the Wheel Principle: AB is based on the power of existing ideas. As Bill Clinton once said, "“Nearly every problem has been solved by someone, somewhere. The frustration is that we can’t seem to replicate [those solutions] anywhere else.” AB seeks to rectify this problem by making the scaling-out process simpler and more systematic-- but before this can be achieved, people need to learn to value existing ideas as much as they do new ones.

* Collective Wisdom Principle: The more widely existing ideas and models are shared, the stronger they become. The open-source software movement is a perfect illustration of this. When NGOs use the AB Framework with a network of partners to replicate proven program-models, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Due to the inherent power of collective wisdom, good models created by one organization become better models co-created by a network of like-minded partners.

* Balance Principle: The open-source movement has been so successful due to the underlying structure designed to guide the actions of all the individual software developers who contribute. In simple terms, there's a sound method to the madness. Likewise, AB can only work well when collaborative efforts among NGO partners strike the proper balance of structure and flexibility. Without this balance, the full potential of collective wisdom is never reached.

Why re-invent the wheel?

One of our main goals in designing the AB framework was to take something complex and make it much simpler. Years of intensive research covering best practices in citizen sector scaling, collaboration, and knowledge transmission have been neatly packaged in a way we hope NGOs will not only find intuitive, but also extremely practical. We've provided "building blocks" of knowledge as well as a step-by-step framework which serve to demystify the complex terminology thrown around by others. Absent the jargon found in scholarly literature, the learning curve for AB should be a short one. So if you work for an NGO that's ready to scale your impact, there's no need to re-invent the wheel-- we've already done the hard part for you. Your task is simply to adapt the AB framework we've created to meet your specific needs.

Brief History of AB

The term "Adaptive Blueprinting" was coined in January 2006 by Nathan Cryder, the co-founder and Executive Director of a US-based NGO called Global Gain. Global Gain's three founders shared a belief in the power of existing ideas-- not just new ones-- to make the world a better place. As Bill Clinton once said, "Nearly every problem has been solved by someone, somewhere. The frustration is that we can’t seem to replicate those solutions anywhere else." In an effort to resolve some of those frustrations, Global Gain worked tirelessly in 2006 and 2007 to bring the AB concept to practical fruition.

BETA Version of AB

Even though AB is not a software program or webware platform, Global Gain uses the same naming conventions one finds with these (BETA, Version 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, etc.) Our reasoning is simple-- if the seemingly inexorable problems plaguing the world today are to have any chance at being solved within the next few generations, the citizen sector desperately needs to be able to effectively tap into the vast wellspring of collective knowledge. As it stands today, knowledge remains far too localized, adopt more of an open-source philosophy and approach. In other words, best practices and models addressing social problems must not remain geographically isolated, but need to be shared as widely as possible. However, unless this is done systematically, the potential for increased social impact won't be realized. AB not only enables NGOs to spread their best models throughout the sector, but it also harnesses the power of collective wisdom just as open-source software programs do.

On Sep. 17-18, 2007, the first ever workshop on AB was held in New Delhi, India for a group of Ashoka Fellows and staff (about 20 in all). This event represented the official launch of the BETA version of AB, as well as the first time anyone outside of Global Gain saw our 158 page *Blueprint Guide* detailing the 5-stage AB framework. True to our open-source philosophy and belief in collective wisdom, we are eagerly awaiting the feedback of Ashoka Fellows and staff and many others before we release the first official AB Framework (Version 1.0) at some point in 2008.

Key AB Terms

To understand AB, one first needs to familiarize him/herself with some basic AB-specific terminology. Our goal is not to confuse or intimidate with new jargon. To the contrary, it is to simplify things by providing a common simple language for anyone and everyone utilizing AB down the road.

Adaptive Blueprint (“Blueprint”): A concise overview of a program-model's most essential components. All Blueprints contain a Need, Purpose, Building Blocks, and a Framework

* Master Blueprint: The Blueprint that contains the broadest overview of a program-models essential components

* Specialized Blueprint: Blueprints that fall within a Master Blueprint and provide more detail of specific steps or stages outlined in the Master. Building Blocks: These are the core principles upon which all Blueprints are built. They are the most essential aspects of a program-model that need to be communicated to partners within an ABC. "'Frameworks:"' Frameworks give Blueprints the structure they need to be effective. They are usually a series of stages or steps that partners in an ABC can use to implement an aspect of a program model.

AB Collaborative (ABC): A group of organizations that abide by basic AB principles as a basis for their collaboration. Please note that the term “collaborative” is used here as a noun as in “a collaborative group” and not as an adjective (exactly the way “cooperative” is sometimes used).

Blueprint Guide: A document to enable other organizations to adopt and adapt Blueprints. It is comprised of Blueprints and IMPACT Elements. IMPACT Elements: All supporting and explanatory content that supplements and adaptive blueprint. IMPACT stands for: Implementation Manual, Practical Advice, and Concrete Tools.