Backward Mapping - next visualizatoin project for interns

[Daniel Bassill]

In this discussion on Social Edge, the concept of backward mapping and theory of change are being discussed.

This is an idea that has driven much of my thinking for many years. In many of the articles I write I say "what are all the actions that many people would need to take, for many years, to assure that more kids born in high poverty neighborhoods are starting jobs and careers by age 25?"

I illustrate my ideas with graphics that I've created with power point and put on my blog, like this one. I have visualized this birth to work idea with graphics like this, which was converted into this animation by Jawon Koo last month.

The next project I'd like one of my visualization interns to work on would be this concept map, which shows the different range of supports kids need at elementary school, middle school and high school. In my map, this is shown in one dimension, with the journey starting at pre school on the left side of the graphic, and ending at work, on the right side. I'd like someone to make this a 3-dimensional animation, with the information at each grade level showing as a sphere, or pie chart, around a core which has work as the penthouse, and birth and pre-school as the first floor or foundation.

We won't have our next interns from IIT until May 2010. However, students working with graphic design and visualization at any high school or college in the world can create their own interpretations of these ideas and share their work on this site. If you'd like to do that, let me know.