Embracing Experimentation
A Path to Self-Management for Social Impact Organizations
In the complex and often unpredictable field of social impact, nonprofits face unique challenges that require adaptive, responsive approaches. Yet, we are often bogged down and unable to respond quickly. I’m going to put a word out there that may or may not cause the shivers for some… Experimentation. Experimentation not only enables organizations to navigate challenges but also fosters a culture of learning and innovation. By incorporating structured experimentation processes, nonprofits can uncover and implement solutions that reflect their dynamic environments, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and sustainability.
This framework, adapted from methodologies outlined by The Ready, encourages teams to collaboratively identify and address organizational challenges through practical, hands-on experiments.
Introduction to Experimentation in Nonprofits
Experimentation is a powerful tool for social impact organizations seeking to thrive in a changing world. It allows teams to test hypotheses in a real-world setting and learn from the outcomes. This approach is particularly beneficial in the nonprofit sector, where resources are often limited and the stakes—impacting communities and lives—are high. By integrating a culture of experimentation, nonprofits can become more agile, better at responding to community needs and internal challenges, and more adept at fulfilling their missions.
The Process
Step One: Setting the Stage (5 minutes)
Gather your team virtually or in person. Often a cross-functional team with people from different levels and departments is super helpful. Start the session by emphasizing its purpose: not only to solve problems but also to empower and engage the team in developing practices and experiences together that foster change.
Step Two: Identifying Challenges (30 minutes)
Kick it off by having your team members can identify specific challenges they are struggling with right now. Have each person identify 5-10. Encourage everyone to participate, ensuring a diverse range of viewpoints. You can either let people work from scratch or use this list as a starting place.
Once your group has a full list, share it on a board, and then use voting methods to prioritize these challenges, focusing on the most pressing ones.
Step Three: Brainstorming Solutions (15 minutes)
With the key challenges identified, shift to brainstorming potential solutions. Encourage creative thinking and allow for a wide range of ideas. Capture all suggestions and then collectively select the most practical and impactful ones to experiment with.
Step Four: Forming Teams (5 minutes)
Ask participants to choose which challenge they are most interested in addressing. Form small teams around these challenges, with team members who are either interested in the same issue or feel they can contribute effectively to the solution.
Step Five: Designing Experiments (30–45 minutes)
Each team designs a small-scale experiment to test their chosen solution. These should be simple, manageable, and designed to provide quick insights. Encourage teams to define clear objectives, timelines, and expected outcomes for their experiments.
Step Six: Presenting and Initiating Experiments
Teams present their experiments to the entire group for feedback. Each experiment needs to be assessed for feasibility and safety. Approved experiments are initiated with clear action steps and commitments from all team members involved.
Experiment Template
Challenge: Describe the challenge. What stories or data highlight its impact?
Solution: What innovative solution are you proposing to test?
Participants: Who needs to be involved? What will they commit to?
Duration: Define the timeline. When will you assess the outcomes?
Learning Metrics: How will success be measured? What outcomes are expected?
Requirements: What resources are necessary to conduct this experiment?
Criteria for a Successful Experiment
Can be completed within 8 weeks
Entirely within the team’s control
Financially and culturally feasible
Aims to address a recognized organizational challenge
Implements a tangible change in the organization’s operations
Conclusion
For nonprofits, adopting an experimentation mindset is not just about solving problems—it’s about transforming how they think about and respond to challenges. This approach not only leads to more effective solutions but also builds a resilient and adaptive organizational culture, better equipped to fulfill its mission in a continually changing world.
