Initiation Phase

Getting Started

The Initiation Phase lays the foundation for the entire SiD process. This is where the project takes shape: assembling the team, understanding the client's needs, setting initial boundaries, and planning the process design.

Key Activities

Client briefing and intake: Understanding what the client or initiator wants to achieve, their constraints, and their expectations.

Team assembly: Identifying and recruiting the right mix of expertise for the challenge at hand.

Stakeholder identification: Initial mapping of all parties who affect or are affected by the system.

Process planning: Designing the sequence of method cycles, workshops, research phases, and deliverable moments.

Initial goal setting: A first pass at defining system-level goals, project boundaries, and evaluation criteria.

Setting the Tone

The Initiation Phase sets the culture and expectations for the entire project. Key principles to establish early:

Systemic ambition: Frame the challenge at the system level from day one, even if the client initially presents it as an object-level problem.

Openness to surprise: The process will reveal unexpected connections and opportunities. The team needs to be comfortable with uncertainty and willing to adjust course.

Collaborative spirit: SiD is fundamentally a team sport. Establish norms for open communication, constructive disagreement, and shared ownership of outcomes.