The Golden Snitch

To start at the end

In true Millenial fashion, I’m linking this past Tuesday to the Harry Potter series. Stay with me.

Linking specifically to the moment in the final book, when Harry received Professor Dumbledore’s gift of a golden snitch. Engraved, the snitch read “I open at the close.” I’ve always thought that it was such a clever line, but even more, a clever start. Everything starts at the close.

Luckily I interact with a lot of clever people, who didn’t need Dumbledore to tell them that starting with outcomes was a good place to start.

Kudoz Theory of Change. What is behind all of the interactions we are designing.
Kudoz Theory of Change. What is behind all of the interactions we are designing.

When we opened at Kudoz’s close, the outcomes we wanted were things like:

  • Employment
  • Mental Health and well-being
  • Independence
  • Inclusion
  • For incidences of stigma to go down

Conveniently, we weren’t and still aren’t fighting a dark wizard. But we are up against some pretty big things: poverty of experience, little sense of self, lack of novelty, and self efficacy.

Much like Harry, Ron, and Hermione, we enter our next chapter with rigour, intent, and perseverance. Fully knowing that our biggest findings are still to come.

When things get tough, we’ll remind ourselves that we can make magic happen. And by looking at our Theory of Change, we have a way to see into our future, and open at our close.