Processing Tips from Dan, Buzz, and Steve

Periodically we would like to pass on some thoughts about processing.  Some tips will be suggestions for the use of Chiji processing tools.  Others will be general ideas for improving an experiential educator's processing techniques.

Frontloading with Chiji Processing Cards

Frontloading is making clear the purpose of an activity prior to actually doing it.  The idea is that if participants clearly understand the purpose or lesson upfront, that lesson will repeatedly show itself during the action component.  

One task that may have some value with a group is to spread out the Chiji Cards before any action occurs.  The facilitator then asks the group to identify the card that best represents the reason that the group is attending the program.  A leader might start out with each individual choosing a card and explaining why he or she is there, but the final task is for the group to work together to choose only one card.  In other words, the group must come to consensus as to why they are there.  The final choice may not be as important the process the group goes through in identifying the one card.  During discussion, the facilitator can hear the many reasons people are in attendance, and he or she can also get a quick sense of the group dynamics.  

Purposes for Processing

Usually a processing session is intended to address specific issues that occur during an activity.  For example, a group of people completes a team challenge, and the processing session discusses strengths and weaknesses in cooperative spirit, moving outside of comfort zones, asking for help, etc…  The facilitator notices the things a group did well and the things that they did not do well, then tries to help the group see those strengths and weaknesses for themselves.  It is useful to acknowledge, however, that processing is not solely about discussing the strengths and weaknesses of an action component of an experience.  There are other legitimate reasons for processing.  They include:

• Allowing participants to express their feelings about the action component of an experience (both positive and negative feelings)
• Teaching participants how to process (also teaching them the value of processing)
• Transferring the lessons of a specific event to everyday life (transference)
• Making sure that all participants understood the intended learning outcomes of the experience (i.e., if not already done so, making explicit why the participants undertook the activity)
• Reiterating, even informally testing for, the lessons and/or acquired skills of an experience
• Evaluating the action component so that a leader can improve his or her facilitation skills
• Helping participants develop a philosophy of experiencing
• Bringing closure to an activity

Obviously no single processing session can accomplish all of these objectives.  It is the job of the facilitator to determine which objectives are appropriate for the specific situation, and then choose a processing technique that will address one or more of those objectives. 

Good Introductory Use of Chiji Pocket Processor

The two opposing statements on Chiji Pocket Processor cards (e.g., competition/cooperation; carefully planning/acting spontaneously) are intended to be two extremes on a continuum, not an either/or dichotomy.  Many participants, however, are quick to attach themselves to the extremes and not acknowledge the moderate middle ground.  A good introductory activity to make clear the continuum nature of the cards is to pick any five cards out of the deck and then say to a group, "I want each of you to imagine a line running the length of the room.  As I read these cards, I want each of you to place yourself on the appropriate place on that line.  You might be far right, far left, or somewhere in between.   Understand?  Let's try a card and see if it doesn't make sense.  If, in your day-today lives, you tend to 'look at the big picture,' go way left; if you tend to "pay attention to details," go way right. If you are somewhere in the middle, find your place in between." Repeat the procedure another four or five times.  Important Note:  The orange statements on the cards are yang, and the blue statements are yin.  Therefore be consistent when you direct people to opposite sides of the room.  In other words, if on the first card, you make yang (orange) to the right and yin (blue) to the left, then make yang right and yin left on subsequent cards.  This activity serves a couple of purposes.  First of all, it does make clear the continuum nature of the cards.  When you use the cards later to process an activity, participants will know that 1) the statements of the cards represent a continuum and 2) one side of the card is not necessarily better than the other side. Second, participants will begin to notice basic similarities and differences among people within the group.  For example, if half the group is very "goal-oriented" and half is very "process-oriented," this may begin to explain why the group frequently disagrees on how to approach group challenges.