Designing 21 st Century Faith Formation John Roberto

Designing 21 st Century Faith Formation John Roberto Lifelong. Faith Associates

Innovation Design Process Stanford School of Design Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test

Network Design Process 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Research the Target Audience and Identify Needs Build the Faith Formation Network Design Generate Programming for the Faith Formation Network Design a Season of Faith Formation Programming Build the Digital Platform Design a Process for Assessing and Personalizing Learning Test the Seasonal Plan and Web Design Launch the Faith Formation Network Evaluate the Season of Programming Design the New Season of Programming

Step 1. Research � � � � � Children & Families Teens & Families Emerging Adults: 20 s-30 s Young Adults: 30 s-40 s Mid-Life Adults: 40 s- mid 50 s Mature Adults: mid 50 s-70 s Older Adults: 75+ Families All Ages/Multigenerational 1. Life Stage Issues 2. Generational Issues 3. Milestones & Life Transitions 4. Ethnic & Cultural Needs 5. Spiritual & Religious Needs

Step 1. Research 1. Review the relevant research and effective faith formation practices for your target audience. 2. Conduct focus groups & interviews. 3. Conduct research out in the community. 4. Find patterns/common themes in the research findings.

Step 1. Research Compile the responses for each question from all of the interviews. Digital Version Newsprint Version Post-It Note Version 2. Review the responses for each question to identify related themes. Group these items together by giving identical or similar items the same number beginning with #1. The #1 item should have the most responses, the #2 item the second most responses, and so on. 3. Name in one phrase or sentence each of the most mentioned responses—themes. Develop a summary report for each question that includes only the top priority themes. 1.

Empathy Map SAY What do you hear your target group saying? DO What actions and behaviors do you notice in your target group? THINK What might your target group be thinking? What does this tell you about their beliefs/convictions? FEEL What emotions might your target group be feeling?

Step 1. Research Produce a summary report of the observations, a summary report of the interviews, and a summary report of the focus groups � Compile one report of the major insights from your community observations. � Compile one report of your interview findings— identifying the major themes for each interview question. � Compile one report of your focus group findings— identifying the major themes for each focus group question.

Compiling the Themes Observation Interviews Focus Groups

Step 2. Design Network Themes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Caring Relationships Celebrating the Seasons Celebrating Rituals & Milestones Learning the Christian Tradition Praying & Spiritual Formation Reading the Bible Serving, Working for Justice, & Caring for Creation Worshipping God Missional Life Issues Life-Stage Major Programs Conte nt Area Faith Communit y Conte nt Area

Eight Faith Forming Processes Church Year Seasons Learning the Tradition Praying Spiritual Formatio n Rituals & Milestones Caring Relationshi ps GROWT H IN FAITH Reading the Bible Serving Working for Justice Caring for Creation Worshippi ng

Whole Community Network Children & Families Older Adults Youth and Families Faith Community Mature Adults Young Adults Mid-life Adults

Families with Children Faith Formation Network Sunday Worship @ Home Faith Practices @ Home: Seasons of the Year Missional / Discovering Faith Children’s Programs & Events Intergenerational Faith Community Faith Practices @Home: Bible & Learning the Faith Practices @Home: Rituals & Milestones For Parents Family Life Assets Faith Practices @ Home: Service

Adult Faith Formation Network Sunday Worship Missional & Discovering Faith Liturgical Seasons Grandparents Scripture Enrichment Intergenerational Faith Community Life Issues & Milestones Spiritual Enrichment Service & Mission Faith Enrichment

Step 3. Generate Programming 1. Correlate the most important needs from the research into the appropriate content areas of the network. Some of the important needs will be included in multiple content areas. 2. Add the faith formation programs that will continue to be offered for the target audience into the appropriate content areas of the network. Some programs may be listed more than once. 3. Add events, ministries, and programs from the intergenerational faith community into the appropriate content areas of the network. Some events/programs may be listed more than once.

Profile & New Ideas Content Areas Caring Relationships Church Year Seasons Learning the Tradition Prayer/Spiritual Form. Reading the Bible Rituals & Milestones Service, Justice, Creation Worship Life Stage Issues Missional Additional Area Needs Current Programs Intergenerational New Ideas Digital Strategies

Family Profile & New Ideas Content Areas Caring Relationships Church Year Seasons Learning the Tradition Prayer/Spiritual Form. Reading the Bible Rituals & Milestones Service, Justice, Creation Worship Family Life Stage Issues Family Assets Parents Missional Needs Current Programs: At Church, At Home Intergenerational New Digital Ideas Strategies

Review the Profile 1. What needs are we not currently addressing in this target audience? 2. Who are we currently serving? Who are we not serving? Do we have outreach and programming directed toward the “churchless”—the spiritual but not religious and the unaffiliated and uninterested. 3. Do we have strong intergenerational connections and programming for this target audience? 4. Are we utilizing online/digital programming and resources with this target audience? 5. Do we have a variety of learning environments for this target audience: self-directed, mentored, at home, in small groups, in large groups, church-wide, in the community, and in the world

Programming Principles 1. Focus on the life tasks, needs, interests, and spiritual and faith journeys of people in the target audience. 2. Target the spiritual and religious diversity in the target audience. 3. Develop programming around the eight faith-forming processes. 4. Offer a wide variety of programming to address the diversity of people’s lives. 5. Use multiple environments for programming: self-directed, mentored, at home, in small groups, in large groups, churchwide, in the community, and in the world. 6. Design online & digitally enabled strategies into programming. 7. Incorporate intergenerational programming into faith formation. 8. Design missional initiatives to reach the spiritual but not religious and the unaffiliated.

Digitally-Enabled Faith Formation Identify opportunities for blended faith formation. Online Faith Formation Mostly Online with Regular Interaction in Gathered Sessions Online Faith Formation & Gathered Sessions (Flipped Classroom ) Gathered Program with Online Componen ts beyond the Program Gathered Program with Supportive Online Content

Generate Programming 1. What new programming do we need to offer to address the needs that surfaced in our research? 2. What would our target audience like to see the church offer them through faith formation? 3. How can we address the audience’s needs through age-specific programming? 4. How can we address the audience’s needs through intergenerational or family programming? 5. How can we develop missional outreach programming and strategies to reach the SBNR & unaffiliated in our target audience.

Idea Generating #1. “How Might We…” �Brainstorm responses to the question: “How Might We? ” and abbreviate on post-its with “HMW. ” �“How Might We Address this Need…” Go for quantity, not quality at this point. Post all of the ideas on sheets of easel paper. Cluster similar HMW statements.

Idea Generating #2. “What If…” �Use imagination to generate ideas. �List as many “what if” statements as you can on Post-it notes. �Ask them to complete the “What if…” statement personally, writing one statement per post-it. After several minutes, ask people to place their Post-it notes on a sheet of easel paper. Then cluster similar ideas together. A sense of priority is often revealed as one or more of the clusters claim the energy and interest of the group.

Network Design Process 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Research the Target Audience and Identify Needs Build the Faith Formation Network Design Generate Programming for the Faith Formation Network Design a Season of Faith Formation Programming Build the Digital Platform Design a Process for Assessing and Personalizing Learning Test the Seasonal Plan and Web Design Launch the Faith Formation Network Evaluate the Season of Programming Design the New Season of Programming

Step 4. Design a Program Season Fall Season: September 1 – January 1 Winter/Spring Season: January 1 – May 1 Summer Season: May 1 – September 1 Summer Winter. Spring Fall

Step 4. Design a Season 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Identify the season. Add continuing age-group programs. Add intergenerational programs and events. Add redesigned, digitally-enabled programming Select new programming ideas. Develop the final version of the plan: Select the program ideas for each content area Schedule the programming, e. g. , a monthly focus

Design a Season 7. Develop specific plans for each program: Date or month Learning environment(s) Digital strategy(s) Resources Leaders Cost

Environments 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Independent Mentored At Home Small Group Large Group Congregation-Wide Community or World

Digitally-Enabled Faith Formation Identify opportunities for blended faith formation. Online Faith Formation Mostly Online with Regular Interaction in Gathered Sessions Online Faith Formation & Gathered Sessions (Flipped Classroom ) Gathered Program with Online Componen ts beyond the Program Gathered Program with Supportive Online Content

Seasonal Plan Content Area Programming & Dates Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4

Programming Resource Activity 1 Resource Theme or Content Area Resource Activity 2 Resource Activity 3 Resource

Programming a Page

Families with Children Faith Formation Network Sunday Worship @ Home Faith Practices @ Home: Seasons of the Year Missional / Discovering Faith Children’s Programs & Events Intergenerational Faith Community Faith Practices @Home: Bible & Learning the Faith Practices @Home: Rituals & Milestones For Parents Family Life Assets Faith Practices @ Home: Service

Children & Families Programming Faith Practices @ Home Daily Devotion Resources Reading the Bible Resources Serving Others Resources Caring Conversations Resources Church Year Seasonal Resources Learning about Faith Resources Rituals Resources

Family Faith Formation Network

Youth Faith Formation Network Youth Programs Missional Confirmati on Program Parent. Teen Activities & Resources Sunday Worship & Church Seasons Adolescen t Life Issues Faith Community For Parents Bible Study & Religious Learning Youth Leadershi p Milestones Service Projects Mission Trips Prayer & Spiritual Formation

Youth Programming Prayer & Spiritual Life Daily Devotion Resources Spiritual Mentoring Resources Prayer Group Resources Spiritual Practices Course Resources Retreat Resources Day at the Monastery Resources Online Prayer Intentions

Young Adult Faith Formation Network Worship & Church Year Life Issues, Transitions, & Milestones Young Adult Peer Community Missional & Discovering Faith (Alpha Course) Faith Community Justice, Service, Mission Scripture Enrichment Faith Enrichment Spiritual Enrichment

Adult Faith Formation Network Sunday Worship Missional & Discovering Faith Liturgical Seasons Grandparents Scripture Enrichment Intergenerational Faith Community Life Issues & Milestones Spiritual Enrichment Service & Mission Faith Enrichment

Adult Programming Spiritual Enrichment Online Courses Resource Apps & Enewsletters Resource Online Prayer & Spirituality Resources Small Group Bible Study Resources Retreats Resource Day at the Monastery Resource Spiritual Book of the Month Club Monthly Spiritual Practices Series Resource

Adult Faith Formation Network

Step 5. Build a Digital Platform www. wordpress. org Other Platforms www. wix. com www. squarespace. com

Build a Digital Platform 1. Choose a domain name. 2. Select a website template that is “mobile” responsive. 3. Create the primary navigation system (main menu) from the network content areas. 4. Build each webpage to incorporate all programs, activities, and resources for each content area. 5. Design the webpage for your target audience— write the website content to your audience.

Things to Remember… 1. Don’t make the user think—make web pages selfexplanatory so the user hardly has any perceived effort to understand them, for example, clear choice of labels, clearly “clickable” items, simple search. 2. People generally don’t read web pages closely; they scan, so design for scanning rather than reading. 3. Create a clear visual hierarchy and menu system (main menu, submenus). 4. Make it very clear how to navigate the site, with clear “signposts” on all pages. 5. Omit needless words. 6. The home page needs the greatest design care to convey site identity and mission. 7. Promote user goodwill by making the typical tasks easy to do, make it easy to recover from errors, and avoid anything likely to irritate users.

Step 6. Design Personalized Learning Discerning Learning Needs Reflecting on Growth & Identifying New Needs Working with a Mentor/Guide Sharing Learning with Others Finding Resources on the Network Engaging in Formation in a Variety of Learning Environments

Personalized Faith Formation Personalized pathways for discipleship & faith growth. . Guide people in discerning their religious and spiritual needs Equip people with the resources and tools to learn and grow at their own pace Provide mentoring and support for the journey

Step 7. Test the Plan & Website 1. Let your user experience the network online. Show don’t tell. Let them review the website and the programming. Just the minimum context so they understand what to do. (Have computers or tablets available for people to use or ask them to bring a device to the focus group. ) 2. Have them talk through their experience. For example, when appropriate, ask “Tell me what you are thinking as you are doing this. ” 3. Actively observe. Watch how they use (and misuse!) the website. Don’t immediately “correct” what your user is doing. 4. Follow up with questions, such as: “Show me why this would (or would not) work for you. ” “Can you tell me more about how this made you feel? ” “Why? “ “Do you find things that interest you and connect with your life? ” “Are there things you would have liked to see? ”

Step 8. Launch the Network Be sure to pay careful attention to the titles and descriptions so that they capture people’s interests. Develop descriptions that are positive in tone, indicate clearly the content or focus of an activity. 1. Describe how your offerings respond to something within the lives of people. Highlight the relationship between the content and the particular spiritual or religious needs, interests, passions, concerns, or life issues of people. 2. Describe the 2 -3 benefits of participating or engaging in faith formation. 3. Explain to people how to use the Network and how to access the activities and resources.

Promotion Ideas 1. Connect to (or extend from) a gathered event, program, ministry. 2. Use personalized invitations. 3. Establish a Facebook page for faith formation for Network announcements, updates, stories and photos from people engaged in faith formation, etc. 4. Use Twitter to announce updates, events, and invite reflections from people on their experiences in the Network. 5. Send email or regular e-newsletters to targeted groups (use a service like Constant Contact). 6. Provide ways to share experiences using blogs, Twitter, Facebook: videos, reports, photos, etc.

Connect to Social Networks Our social network is made up of all the people we’re connected to, all the people they are connected to, and so on. Your Friends’ Friends Your Friends’ Friend’s Friends Your Friends’ Friends

Step 9. Evaluate Programming