In visualising our conference we wanted to engage participants in a real experience of enquiry so we turned to Russ Law OBE, the not very well known author of ‘Get a life: an introduction to explorativity’. Its purpose is to provide an enjoyable, recreational, social and mildly challenging experience through which participants can undertake some light exercise and discover things they didn’t know about Guildford in the congenial company of fellow adventurers.

I think Russ had a vision of Jerome K Jerome's 'three men in a boat' when he wrote it.

 

 

 

 

 

The ‘explorativity walk’ (jogging is permitted) operates on the principle that participants have the freedom to decide how to do it, who to do it with and what they want to gain from it. The walk proceeds on two parallel levels: questions and tasks. The first level is provided by the traditional “treasure hunt” elements of the trail, with specific answers to be found to a range of questions or clues (some of a cryptic nature), by visiting the staging points en route and then searching and cogitating, individually or in conference with the team.

 

The other level requires participants to carry out certain activities, and engage in enquiring, cooperative, co-creative processes, which are of a less predictable nature and effect. Some of these may be challenging, in that they demand some motivation from participants to go beyond their normal levels of interest and comfort. (By definition, being “explorative” means going beyond limited or routine habits.)

 

By the end of the walk, regardless of whether there are any material prizes, the hope is that those who did it will have been able to gather something that will be of use to them – an idea, some information, a connection, a friendship, a new way of perceiving themselves or others, or simply a feeling of having achieved something small but enjoyable through the flow of experience.

 

If you have the time why not check out

 

 Russ will be giving a modest prize (a signed copy of his book) for the best illustrated and animated wiki tale to emerge from the adventure.

Thanks to Jamie Durrant for these amazing pictures.

See if you can work out where they are on your walk.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamie-uk/532155322/