Participatory Methods
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Participatory InteractionParticipatory LearningParticipatory Planning

Concept Route

Concept Route
Duration
From 25 to 120 minutes, depending on the group size, format, and complexity of the topic.
Participants
From 8 to 20 people, divided into small teams of 3 to 6 members.
Areas of application
Educación y formaciónDesarrollo comunitarioPlanificación urbana y ruralSalud y bienestar socialSostenibilidad y medio ambienteInnovación y diseñoInvestigación y evaluaciónTecnología y entornos digitales
Participation level
ColaboraciónGeneración de conocimientoIntercambio de perspectivas
Target audience
EducadoresFacilitadoresEstudiantesLíderes comunitariosONGs y colectivos socialesEquipos empresarialesFuncionarios públicosDiseñadores creativosInvestigadores
The Concept Route is a participatory activity that involves building a visual journey that connects key ideas related to a topic. Participants work together to identify central concepts, establish relationships between them, and represent them graphically as a map or narrative line. This activity helps organize ideas, deepen understanding, and visualize connections between them.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Establish the objective of the activity: Is it to organize concepts, explain a theory, plan a project, or explore a problem?
  2. Select the topic:
    • Identify the main topic and the basic concepts that will be explored during the activity.
  3. Prepare the materials:
    • Large paper, posters, whiteboards, or digital tools.
    • Markers, sticky notes, and tape to connect concepts.
    • Optional: Images or graphics related to the topic.
  4. Physical or virtual space:
    • If in person, set up large tables or panels for comfortable collaboration.
    • If online, use collaborative platforms.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Introduce the purpose
    • Explain the objective of the activity and how the Concept Route will help visualize and connect ideas.
    • Provide a simple example of what a concept route might look like.
  2. Identify key concepts
    • Facilitate a brainstorming session to identify the main concepts related to the topic.
    • Write each concept on sticky notes or digital elements.
  3. Organize concepts
    • Participants group the concepts into categories or related thematic areas.
    • Guide the group in identifying central and secondary concepts, prioritizing their relevance.
  4. Establish connections
    • Invite participants to connect the concepts using arrows, lines, or visual narratives.
    • Guiding questions:
      • How are these concepts related?
      • What depends on what?
      • What are the most important or critical connections?
  5. Build the visual route
    • Design the final route by organizing the concepts in a logical or narrative flow.
    • Participants can add labels, colors, or symbols to highlight specific relationships.
  6. Presentation and discussion
    • Each team presents their concept route, explaining the connections and their significance.
    • Encourage questions or reflections on the presented routes.
  7. Group reflection
    • Facilitate a discussion on the process:
      • What did they learn by connecting the concepts?
      • How can they use this tool in future projects?
      • What unexpected insights emerged while creating the route?
  8. Closing and key takeaways
    • Summarize the key learnings and how concept routes can be applied to analyze and plan other topics.

Required materials

  • Sticky notes, markers, whiteboards, or large paper.
  • Adhesive tape, sticky notes, and poster boards for physical connections.
  • Optional: Digital tools for creating digital concept routes.

Platforms

Practical recommendations

  • Encourage creativity: Motivate participants to use colors, symbols, or unique diagrams to express their ideas.
  • Simplify relationships: Help the group prioritize the most relevant connections to avoid unnecessary complexity.
  • Engage everyone: Ensure each participant has a role in constructing the concept route.
  • Document the results: Photograph or digitally save the routes for future reference or implementation.

Inspiration

Examples of Concept Routes to Work On:
  • Product Life Cycle: From ideation and design to recycling or final disposal.
  • Key Stakeholder Map: Identifying how people, groups, or organizations interact within a system or project.
  • Decision-Making Process: Representing the stages of analysis, evaluation, and alternative selection.
  • Path to Sustainability: Connecting individual, community, and global actions for a positive impact.
  • Workflow Diagram: Visualizing tasks, roles, and connections within a team or organization.
  • Implementation Strategy: From initial planning to execution and evaluation of results.
  • Cause-and-Effect Relationships: Showing how specific actions or events lead to concrete outcomes.
  • Path to Meaningful Learning: Connecting activities, reflections, and practical applications.
  • Stages of Change: From recognizing the problem to adopting new practices or habits.
  • Ideation Process: Representing how ideas emerge and evolve from an initial concept to full development.
  • Connections Between Scientific Concepts: For example, how energy, motion, and force are related in physics.
  • Evolution of a Social Problem: Analyzing its roots, development, and potential collaborative solutions.
  • Network of Opportunities: Identifying how resources and skills can be connected to achieve common goals.
  • Value Chain: Showing how value is added at each stage of a production or service process.
  • Path to Educational Innovation: Representing how new technologies, methodologies, and approaches can be integrated into teaching.