| Notes |
CREATIVE
HUB
LEADER’S
TOOLKIT
4CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
Introduction
Creative hubs play a vital role in supporting creative
entrepreneurs and businesses. As ‘convenors of creatives’,
hubs serve local communities and connect creative
practitioners.
This toolkit is part of Creative Hubs Academy, a global
programme that supports creative hub leaders to sustain
and grow their hubs. Creative Hubs Academy was
co-designed over a two-year period with more than
100 hub leaders from across three continents. It uses
practical tools and approaches, as well as face-to-face
workshops and supportive coaching, to upskill creative
hub leaders.
Creative Hubs Academy is a partnership project of
Nesta, Hivos and British Council.
Contents
Who can use the toolkit? 08
What is in the toolkit? 10
How to use the toolkit 12
Starter tips 14
Setting up 16
1. LEADING YOUR HUB 18
1.1 Vision and Mission
1.2 Defining the Need
1.3 Building Your Hub Culture
1.4 Foundations of a Hub Leader
1.5 Self Reflection Framework
The Tools 44
2. CONNECTING YOUR HUB 56
2.1 Mapping Your Stakeholders
2.2 Persona Development
2.3 Elements for a Persuasive Story
2.4 Activities to Offer
2.5 User Research Plan
The Tools 82
3. BUILDING YOUR HUB 94
3.1 Theory of Change
3.2 Measuring Impact
3.3 Hub Business Canvas
3.4 Orbit Chart
3.5 Hub Action Plan
The Tools 120
Additional Resources 132
Acknowledgements 134
8CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
Who can use
the toolkit?
Do you lead a creative hub or intend to do so? Then this
toolkit is for you!
You can use the toolkit to enrich your own learning journey,
clarify your thinking as a hub leader or engage with your
team to get different perspectives and align ideas.
Whether you want to define the purpose of your hub,
connect with your community or enhance the impact
you make, you will find valuable resources in this toolkit.
10CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
What is in
the toolkit?
This toolkit provides a holistic approach for taking your hub
forward. While the specific tools are diverse in their purpose,
they are interconnected and, as a collection, will help you
chart your path from defining the need you are meeting
through to the impact you create.
The tools are organised in three sections:
1 LEADING YOUR HUB
Helping you articulate a clear vision for your hub that reflects
the values and inspires and motivates you and your team.
This will enable you as a leader to shape the culture of your
hub and deliver on your purpose.
2 CONNECTING YOUR HUB
By understanding your stakeholders, you can identify and
prioritise those who influence your success, ensure your
activities meet the needs of your community and your
communications are focused.
3 BUILDING YOUR HUB
Planning for success and delivering impact is vital for the
success of your hub. Whether you need to sustain your
current situation or take things in a new direction, planning
for action and measuring success will evidence the benefits
that your hub brings.
12CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
How to use
this toolkit
The toolkit is a self-led guide. The real value to you and
your hub comes from actively using the tools, reviewing the
learning and applying the outputs.
Tools are visual devices to prompt thinking and capture
ideas. They are presented here as worksheets with a brief
description of their purpose and instructions on how to apply
them. There are a few completed tool examples throughout
the toolkit, but it’s important to remember that these are
illustrative only. You should complete the tools with your hub
in mind.
The tools are ordered to take you on a learning journey from
developing a vision of your future, to defining your impact
and planning future action. However, you can choose to use
the tools in the order that best suits your needs. Some tools
complement others and you’ll see the list of Related Tools to
make the connection. There is no right or wrong way to use
the tools – use or hack them in whatever way makes most
sense for your purpose.
Once you have completed a tool, take time to reflect, review
and update as needed. Plans are not set in stone and need
to be reviewed over time. The toolkit is a useful resource for
setting, updating and reflecting on your plans.
NAVIGATING THE TOOLKIT
From the tool instruction page, click on or
the image of the tool to take you to the full sized
printable version.
From the full sized tool page, click on to return
to the tool instruction page.
14CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
Starter tips
This toolkit contains a lot of information, which may
feel overwhelming at first. Don’t be put off! Our mantra
is “learning by doing” and we encourage you to simply try.
OUR TIPS TO GET STARTED:
GO AT YOUR OWN PACE
• Don’t feel you have to complete all the tools to add
value to your hub.
• Start with one or two tools that you want to try and then
take a break.
• Work through the tools at your own pace. If you only
have an hour, select tools that fit your schedule.
• Keep on track by timing your work on each tool – don’t
let it run on indefinitely. If you get stuck, ask your peer
buddy for support.
• If you get stuck, leave it and come back another time.
Not everything will be relevant to you and your specific
needs immediately.
LOOK FOR SUPPORT
• Use the tools on your own or with others in your team.
• Ask your partners, collaborators and supporters to be
involved where appropriate.
• Find a peer buddy who you can use the toolkit with.
You may use the same tool or different ones, it doesn’t
matter. The important thing is to set time aside to
support each other on the learning journey.
WORK IN THE OPEN
• Pin up your tools. Make them visible to encourage
reflection and feedback.
• If you don’t have a printer, draw the tool onto paper or
a whiteboard.
• Post-it notes (or sticky notes and stickies) are great for
allowing you to move your ideas around, make changes
and get your ideas out quickly. Small stickies fit more
easily on the tools but can be expensive or difficult to
find. If you cut standard stickies perpendicular to the
sticky edge, you can create 2–4 smaller stickies.
• When brainstorming ideas, go for quantity over quality.
Don’t judge ideas (build on them instead) and look for
wild ideas!
Remember that completing a tool doesn’t mean the output
is now fixed. The tools are dynamic and the outputs should
evolve and change as your vision, strategy and activities
adapt over time.
16CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
Setting up
A small amount of preparation will ensure a productive
session.
OUR POINTERS TO GET SET UP:
• Find a quiet space where you/your team can focus
without interruption.
• Print or draw the tools you want to use.
• Have a selection of marker pens and stickies.
• Use tack or masking tape to stick completed tools on
the wall.
• Set aside 30 to 60 minutes for each tool.
• Use a timer to keep to your schedule.
• If you do not complete the task, come back to it. The
important thing is to get started!
1
18
LEADING
YOUR HUB
As the leader of your hub, it is vital to clearly communicate
the purpose and goals of the hub to your team.
Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve, as well as
passion and motivation, will help you share your purpose
with others and gather support for your goal. As a leader,
you also need to be acutely aware of the community you
want to serve, how you will benefit it and what environment
you will create to do this.
THIS SECTION CONTAINS: 1 Vision and Mission 2 Defining the Need 3 Building Your Hub Culture 4 Foundations of a Hub Leader 5 Self Reflection Framework
20LEADING YOUR HUB
1
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
As a leader, you need a clear goal for your hub so that you
can keep focused and clearly communicate it to your team
and wider network.
Your vision statement describes what the hub aspires
to and the change you want to achieve. Stating your vision
allows you to look forward and consider what success
looks like.
It is complemented by the mission statement, which provides
the detail on how you will achieve your vision and who will
benefit. Remember to include the social and environmental
contribution you want to make, as well as what business
success looks like for your hub.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
A compelling vision and mission will keep you focused
on what is important for your hub to reach its goal. Clearly
stating your purpose is fundamental when making decisions
about the opportunities and challenges you might face.
A clear vision and mission will ensure your team is aligned
and can motivate others, such as partners and funders,
to get on board with your activities.
1.1
Vision and
Mission
30
22LEADING YOUR HUB
1
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Imagine 3, 5 or 10 years from now. Use your senses to
consider what success looks, feels, sounds and smells
like for your hub. Sketch or create a collage of images
that represent your ideas.
2 Be ambitious! And realistic!
3 What might others say about your hub and its
achievements?
4 Start with the vision.
5 Use the questions on the tool to guide your thinking.
6 Guided by your answers, draft your ‘Vision’ statement in
one or two sentences.
7 Now consider how you will achieve this vision and who
will benefit.
8 Use the questions on the tool to guide your thinking.
9 Draft your ‘Mission’ statement in a few sentences.
10 Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. It can take many attempts
to find the right wording.
RELATED TOOLS
Building Your Hub Culture
Theory of Change
VISION AND MISSION
24LEADING YOUR HUB
1
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Creative hubs serve the needs of the local creative
community. This might involve supporting economic
prosperity, empowering communities, revitalising an area or
advocating for a particular cause.
To meet these needs effectively, it’s vital you are addressing
the right issue. The initial challenge you want to solve may
seem straightforward, but when you dig deeper, you may find
it is the symptom of a more serious or complex problem.
Defining the Need is a tool that helps you to open up a
problem, explore distinct aspects and look at it from different
perspectives. This then allows you to reframe or present the
problem in a new and meaningful way.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
Having in-depth knowledge of the gap, problem or need that
you are addressing puts you in a better position to tackle it
and to meet the expectations of your community.
This tool helps you and your team clarify and agree what you
are doing, who you are doing it for and why you are doing it.
Understanding the factors that shape the need might lead
you to review who you offer support to and how you deliver
it, allowing you to focus, plan effectively and prioritise time
and resources.
Reframing – thinking about the issue in a different way –
ensures you are dealing with the right problem and can help
you move towards a better solution.
1.2
Defining
the Need
30
26LEADING YOUR HUB
1
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Start with the first column and state the issue you want
to address and why.
2 If your issue has a number of aspects to it, state them.
If there are more than two or three, you might want to
use a separate tool for each issue.
3 Think widely and consider everyone who is affected by
the issue. You could use Mapping Your Stakeholders to
identify the full range of beneficiaries or influencers.
4 It is important to have the beneficiaries’ needs at the
centre of your thinking.
5 Now move to the middle column and consider the wider
context that influences this issue.
6 Are there examples from elsewhere that you can learn
from?
7 How has a similar issue been addressed successfully?
8 State the benefits, and wider impact, of addressing your
issue to present a strong case for taking action.
9 Now use what you have learned to reconsider your
issue. Is it accurately stated?
10 Can you state it in a different way that clarifies the full
extent of the issue?
RELATED TOOLS
Vision and Mission
Building Your Hub Culture
Mapping Your Stakeholders
User Research Plan
DEFINING THE NEED
LEADING YOUR HUB
1
28
What is the key issue you are
trying to address? Why is it
important? What potential do
you see?
- ISOLATION
- MANY CREATIVE PEOPLE
WORK ON THEIR OWN
FROM HOME. WE WANT TO
PROVIDE A SPACE THAT
THIS COMMUNITY CAN
WORK FROM, CONNECT
WITH AND BE INSPIRED BY
Who is it an issue for?
What would happen if the need
was not addressed?
- CREATIVES (CREATIVE, TECH
AND CULTURAL SECTORS)
- MAINLY THOSE WHO ARE
SELF-EMPLOYED AND
FREELANCE
- CREATIVES’ BUSINESS WILL
FAIL TO SUSTAIN/GROW/
SCALE UP IF THEY ARE NOT
SUPPORTED
What social or cultural factors
inform this?
- LACK OF UNDERSTANDING
OF THE VALUE OF THE
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
- LACK OF BUSINESS SUPPORT
FOR CREATIVE SECTOR
What evidence do you have that
this is worth investing in?
- CREATIVE INDUSTRIES ARE
FASTEST GROWING SECTOR
- SECTOR DEMAND FOR SPACE
TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY
Can you think of this need in
a different way? Can you find a
new perspective?
- PROVIDING A HOME FOR THE
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
DEFINING THE NEED
COMPLETED EXAMPLE OF
DEFINING THE NEED
30LEADING YOUR HUB
1
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Hub culture can be thought of as the personality and
character of the hub shaped by shared values, beliefs and
behaviours.
The success of your hub is closely connected to the
experience of the people who interact with it: staff, users,
partners and others in your network. As a leader, you want
to create the best possible culture and working environment.
This starts with your hub’s values: the principles and beliefs
that guide behaviour and decision-making. Alignment with
your hub’s values creates a consistent experience in the
relationships you nurture and the activities you provide.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
When people are brought together they create a shared
behaviour, whether intentionally or not.
By considering the different elements that form your hub,
you can shape your hub culture in line with its values and
vision. Identifying your values is important when making
decisions such as: employing staff, considering which
activities to offer and identifying potential partners.
You can purposely shape your hub culture in line with values
and vision, and respond to the need you have defined in a
structured way. This will help ensure consistency across the
experience of your team, users and wider network.
1.3
Building Your
Hub Culture
45
32LEADING YOUR HUB
1
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Reflect on your hub values – the guiding principles that
shape what you do. Values can be difficult to define but
are fundamental and deeply connected to your purpose.
They are experienced by the people who interact with
your hub.
2 Write your hub’s values so they are visible before you
start.
3 Ask your team, users and wider network for critical
feedback about their experience of the hub and what
would enhance this.
4 Be honest and avoid making assumptions to help you
take appropriate action.
5 Work your way through each of the six elements on the
tool using the prompts given below each title.
6 Some elements might not be relevant so focus on what
makes sense for your hub.
7 Put the information in a list so it’s easier to follow.
8 Be as specific as you can.
9 Consider the diversity of the people you serve or want
to attract. Is your culture suited to their needs?
10 Consider what stands in the way of achieving your
desired hub culture. What can you do to overcome this?
RELATED TOOLS
Vision and Mission
Mapping Your Stakeholders
Persona Development
BUILDING YOUR HUB CULTURE
LEADING YOUR HUB
1
34
SPACE
Location, online space
accessibility, design, layout,
facilities (e.g. cafe menu,
childcare).
- A PHYSICAL SPACE
THAT GATHERS THE
CREATIVE COMMUNITY
BY OFFERING DESK
SPACE AND AN ANNUAL
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
- WE WILL OFFER:
EVENTS, WORKSHOPS,
ACCESS TO
EQUIPMENT,
MENTORING,
ADVICE SESSIONS
WITH EXPERTS AND
INTERNATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES
TEAM
Diversity, behaviour, dress
code.
- OUR TEAM WILL
INITIALLY BE MADE
UP OF TWO FULL
TIME MEMBERS OF
STAFF – ONE FOCUSED
ON MANAGING THE
SPACE, THE OTHER
ON BUILDING THE
COMMUNITY
OPERATIONS
Pricing, contracts,
marketing, membership,
opening hours.
- PUBLISH CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
- EVENTS ARE PRICED
TO BE ACCESSIBLE:
COVERING COSTS
WITH A 10% SURPLUS
- OPERATE MONDAY -
FRIDAY
- USE ONE SOFTWARE
FOR OUR
FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE
TASKS
RELATIONSHIPS
Stakeholders, e.g. networks,
partners, users/audience.
- DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS
WITH LIKE-MINDED
ORGANISATIONS
- DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS
WITH HIGH LEVEL
STAKEHOLDERS E.G.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
LOCAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES
- CONNECT WITH
NATIONAL AND
INTERNATIONAL
networks
- Develop a community
PERCEPTION
How would your
stakeholders describe your
hub? Does this fit with
your hub’s ambitions and
values?
- FILLING A GAP AS
THERE’S NOT ENOUGH
SUPPORT FOR THE
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
- RESPECTED FOR OUR
PROFESSIONALISM
AND UNDERSTANDING
OF THE SECTOR
- VALUED FOR OUR ROLE
IN CONNECTING
THE CREATIVE
COMMUNITY
POTENTIAL BARRIERS
What stands in the way of
your ideal hub culture, e.g.
finance, skills?
- FUNDING
- STAFF CAPACITY
POTENTIAL ENABLERS
What can you access to
help you to achieve your
ideal hub culture, e.g.
partnerships, funding?
- PARTNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES
EXTEND OUR SCOPE
- FUNDED
COLLABORATIVE
PROJECTS
COMPLETED EXAMPLE OF
BUILDING YOUR HUB CULTURE
BUILDING YOUR HUB CULTURE
36LEADING YOUR HUB
1
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
There is no one-size-fits-all hub leader and each hub has
different needs that the leader must address. Being a hub
leader comes with many rewards as well as many challenges.
It is important to support your professional development,
ensure your wellbeing and avoid burn-out. Looking inward and
knowing your personal values, the skills you have and those
you want to develop is vital to achieving your goals as a leader.
Looking outward to the challenges you face lets you identify
the support and stimulus you need in order to maintain your
motivation and focus.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
This tool helps you to spell out some of your unique qualities,
consider what you need to develop in yourself and where to
get inspiration or assistance.
Identifying your strengths and weaknesses can help you plan
for supporting yourself. By exploring your personal drivers,
you are well placed to consider how your behaviours and
actions affect your team’s ways of working and influence
your hub culture.
You can start to build a team and support network (e.g.
collaborators, partners, mentors and advisors) that play to
your strengths and balance out your weaknesses.
You can adapt this tool and share it with your team to
explore shared goals, strengths, challenges and skills gaps.
1.4
Foundations of
a Hub Leader
45
38LEADING YOUR HUB
1
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Start in the upper section of the tool – this is inward
looking.
2 Take a few moments to think about what success looks
like for you as a leader and complete the ‘Dreams’
section.
3 Now consider the personal values that are important to
you.
4 You will have many values you identify with – prioritise
the six most important.
5 Think about which skills you are adept at, which you
are weaker at and would like to develop or require in
someone else.
6 Then move to the lower section of the tool – this section
is outward looking.
7 Where or from whom do you gain your creative
motivation and stimulation?
8 What are the key challenges you face in your role?
These may be from within the hub (e.g. team, venue) or
external (e.g. funding, location).
9 Now think about the kind of support you need to grow
as a leader. Where might this come from?
10 Be specific: it could be an individual, support network,
training, learning from others, or something else.
RELATED TOOLS
Defining the Need
Self Reflection Framework
FOUNDATIONS OF A HUB LEADER
40LEADING YOUR HUB
1
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Self reflection allows you to think about yourself as a leader
and better understand the way you work and interact.
You might have found yourself in a leadership position
through the organic development of your hub or you may
have deliberately worked for it. Either way, taking stock
of situations helps to embed learning, clarify where you want
to be and plan what action you need to take to achieve
your goal.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
The ability to be self reflective and adopt a learning mindset
can transform your working style, your priorities and
your ability to lead a team and community. Reflection is
particularly powerful when linked to action and can help
you to build resilience – to bounce back and recover from
setbacks and progress confidently into your future.
Self reflection allows you to:
• Consider the effectiveness of your own leadership skills,
styles and tools in a structured way.
• Be aware of what works and what does not.
• Acknowledge a deeper understanding of how your
motivations, knowledge, experience and context
influence your behaviour.
• Find what you need to put in place to care for your
needs and be an effective leader.
1.5
Self Reflection
Framework
45
42LEADING YOUR HUB
1
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Think about a particular situation or experience that
was especially challenging.
2 Place this in the ‘What?’ section of the tool.
3 Now think about your response to this.
4 In the ‘So what?’ section, state what action you took.
5 Then tap into your senses and describe how the
situation felt, what you learned and what additional
information you might need to complete your
understanding.
6 In the ‘What now?’ section state how you will do things
differently next time.
7 What will you do to ensure your proposed actions align
with your values and the values of your hub?
8 From the lessons you learned, what insights can you use
to help you shape future action?
9 Now think about who could assist you to move forward.
What can you do to get them on board?
10 Identify a mentor who is further along on the journey
and can share their experience and knowledge with you.
RELATED TOOLS
Foundations of a Hub Leader
SELF REFLECTION FRAMEWORK
1
44
LEADING
YOUR HUB
TOOLS
LEADING YOUR HUB
1
46source: adapted from vern mcginnis
VISION
Why does your hub exist?
What are the changes you want to bring with your hub?
What does the future you want to create look like?
My vision statement is...
MISSION
What will your hub do?
Who will benefit and how?
How will your hub reach the goal stated in your vision?
My mission statement is...
1.1
Vision and Mission
This tool will help you describe the change that you want to make by defining
your vision and mission statements. Remember these statements need to be
aligned to your values. Try to keep it simple and be aspirational!
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
LEADING YOUR HUB
1
48source: adapted from diy toolkit
This tool will help you see your starting point from various angles. It will also
support you to define the wider context and issues associated with it. After
completing this tool, you will be able to analyse the need you are meeting
with a clearer structure.
1.2
Defining the Need
What is the key issue you are
trying to address? Why is it
important? What potential do
you see?
Who is it an issue for?
What would happen if the need
was not addressed?
What social or cultural factors
inform this?
What evidence do you have that
this is worth investing in?
Can you think of this need in
a different way? Can you find a
new perspective?
LEADING YOUR HUB
1
50
This tool will help you think about key elements that shape your hub culture.
Take into account your hub values and your users’ preferences and needs –
what kind of environment do they want to engage with (e.g. formal, relaxed,
supportive, inspiring, etc.)? Once you have completed each section, prioritise
three actions to take forward to achieve your ambition.
1.3
Building Your Hub Culture
SPACE
Location, online space
accessibility, design, layout,
facilities (e.g. cafe menu,
childcare).
TEAM
Diversity, behaviour, dress
code.
OPERATIONS
Pricing, contracts,
marketing, membership,
opening hours.
RELATIONSHIPS
Stakeholders, e.g. networks,
partners, users/audience.
PERCEPTION
How would your
stakeholders describe your
hub? Does this fit with
your hub’s ambitions and
values?
POTENTIAL BARRIERS
What stands in the way of
your ideal hub culture, e.g.
finance, skills?
POTENTIAL ENABLERS
What can you access to
help you to achieve your
ideal hub culture, e.g.
partnerships, funding?
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
LEADING YOUR HUB
1
52
This tool will help you identify your personal drivers, skills and aptitudes for
running your hub. It also lets you reflect on your motivations and the support
you can access when you are facing challenges.
1.4
Foundations of a Hub Leader
DREAMS
What is your personal vision? What does success look like for you?
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
CHALLENGES
What are the key issues you are facing in your role?
SUPPORT
What kind of help do you
need? Where can you seek
assistance in your role?
INSPIRATIONS
What stimulates you and has
creative influence on you as
a leader?
SKILLS
Which are your strengths?
Where could you improve?
VALUES
What are the characteristics
and behaviours that
motivates you?
credit: journey associates
LEADING YOUR HUB
1
54
This tool will help you to increase self awareness by reflecting on an
important situation or experience. By considering your actions, their
consequences and what you learned, you can adapt your working style and
leadership approach to help you stay on track.
1.5
Self Reflection Framework
WHAT?
SO WHAT?
WHAT NOW?
Situation or experience (Describe what happened)
What did I do?
If I was in this situation again, what
would I do differently?
How can I ensure that any future
action is in line with my hub’s values?
What insights and key lessons will
I take forward?
Whose help could I use next time?
How can I secure their support?
How did it feel? What did I learn? What else do I need to know about
this situation?
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
2
56
CONNECTING
YOUR HUB
Nurturing and maintaining connections is at the heart of
every successful creative hub.
Knowing the breadth of your community and understanding
the full scope of its needs is vital to ensure you provide
the best possible hub environment and relevant activities.
Finding effective messages and channels to engage and
communicate with the full range of stakeholders puts you in
a strong position to achieve your aim.
THIS SECTION CONTAINS: 1 Mapping Your Stakeholders 2 Persona Development 3 Elements for a Persuasive Story 4 Activities to Offer 5 User Research Plan
58CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
A hub can be viewed as a system of relationships, both
internal and external.
The reach of your stakeholder network might be extensive.
It could include your team, tenants, collaborators, partners,
supporters, influencers, beneficiaries, suppliers, etc. It could
also include the wider context like local government, funders
and the media.
Some will have more influence on the success of your hub
than others. By building connections and trust with different
types of stakeholders, you can inspire new ideas, create
opportunities for your network and achieve success.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
This tool creates a visual representation of your hub’s
ecosystem. You can identify current stakeholders and those
relationships you want to nurture to support your vision.
Sorting different types of stakeholders lets you think about
what messages are important to them and how to reach
them. Knowing the types of relationships you have with
different stakeholders means you can prioritise those who
can directly influence your success over those who might
have a lesser impact.
When you see clearly the importance of each connection
to achieving your goal, you can plan how to manage
the relationship and allocate your effort and resources
appropriately.
2.1
Mapping Your
Stakeholders
30
60CONNECTING YOUR HUB 2
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL? 1 Start with clearly stating the ‘Purpose’ of your hub. 2 Now think about the individuals and organisations that
interact with your hub. Be as specific as you can
– use
name, title and organisation when naming contacts.
3 Use one stickie per stakeholder. This will make it easier
to move position and cluster on the worksheet.
4 ‘Direct Stakeholders’ are those with the greatest
influence on your success.
5 Think about people within your hub, such as your team,
as well as those outside, such as your collaborators and
funders.
6 ‘Indirect Stakeholders’ can also be powerful and need
to be carefully managed. These might include those
who benefit from your hub, funders who support it or
journalists who can promote your success stories.
7 ‘Potential Stakeholders’ may have a future impact on
your hub or might represent a direction you want to
move in. They could include a new target group or
possible investor.
8 You can cluster your stakeholders into themes on
your map to help you see where there are similarities
between individuals or organisations.
9 Share your stakeholder map with your team and ask
them to add to it.
RELATED TOOLS
Vision and Mission
Defining the Need
MAPPING YOUR STAKEHOLDERS
CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
62
P
OT
E
NTIAL
STAKEHOLDERS
IN
DIRECT
STAKEHOLDERS
DIRECT
STAKEHOLDERS
YOUR PURPOSE
Who would
you like to
engage
with in
the
future?
Who has infuence
on the
direct stakeholders?
Who
do
you
need to
keep close?
What is the ambition for your hub?
Who is indirectly
affected
by what you do?
Who is most affected by what you do?
Who
has greatest infuence on what you do?
COMPLETED EXAMPLE OF
MAPPING YOUR STAKEHOLDERS
MAPPING YOUR STAKEHOLDERS
COMMERCIALORGANISATIONS, INTERNATIONAL FUNDERS, LARGECREATIVESTUDIOS & GOVERNMENTBODIES
WIDERCREATIVEINDUSTRIES,CULTURAL FUNDERS, INTERNATIONALCREATIVECOMMUNITY,
CONSUMERSOFCREATIVE PRODUCTSANDSERVICESANDCORPORATESECTOR
ACADEMICPARTNERS, LOCALCOUNCIL & EVENTPARTNERS
CREATEAHOMEFORCREATIVES
OURCOMMUNITYOFCREATIVES,OURTEAM,OURBOARD,CORE
FUNDERS,
64CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
When designing your hub – the physical or virtual space,
the activities and services, the experience – it is important to
think about who will interact with each element and how that
experience will meet their needs.
For this we use personas: fictional characters based on real
data and insights you can gather about your stakeholder
groups. Giving each group a personality, values and other
characteristics reduces anonymity and lets you connect with
them from a more personal and emotional perspective.
Create one persona for each of your stakeholder groups.
Keep these personas in mind when designing or critiquing
your activities – then the results are likely to meet their
needs more effectively.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
While Mapping Your Stakeholders identifies specific groups
in your network, personas bring them to life by connecting
with them on a deeper, emotional level.
Personas let you delve into the behaviours and motivations
of a stakeholder group. Through personas, you can build
a detailed story of each group to explore how well you are
serving their needs and how you might improve. Personas
can be useful substitutes for real stakeholders when
designing or reviewing the activities and services your hub
offers. They can help you be clear on what benefits you will
bring and what messages you need to share.
2.2
Persona
Development
30
66CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Use your completed Mapping Your Stakeholders tool
to identify the range of stakeholders for your hub.
2 Select one group (e.g. users, funders or partners) and
consider what you know about its members through
personal contacts, data you have access to and
anecdotal information.
3 Complete one Persona Development tool for each
group.
4 Start by completing the four sections on the left-hand
side of the sheet – the personal characteristics for this
group.
5 Now move to the two top-right sections and consider
why this group want to connect with your hub (e.g. to
access space or engage in the services you offer) and
why they might not (e.g. no access to transport, lack of
finance).
6 Finally, move to the two bottom-right sections and
consider the enablers and barriers to this group
reaching their goals.
7 You now have a deeper understanding of the needs and
motivations of this group and can focus your attention
on what your hub can do to meet them.
8 Once complete, review the persona and critique it
honestly – is it credible?
9 Remember, personas need to be relevant to be useful.
You can test them with members of the stakeholder
group.
10 You will have multiple personas (e.g. team, audience,
user, funder, collaborator) but try to keep to six for you
to remember the details and use them properly.
RELATED TOOLS
Defining the Need
Mapping Your Stakeholders
User Research Plan
PERSONA DEVELOPMENT
68CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Creating compelling stories about your hub and the value it
brings is critical to communicating your message to target
audiences and celebrating your success.
Stories use narrative and data to communicate a message.
Whether delivering a presentation, writing a magazine article
or creating a blog, a captivating story can take your audience
on a journey that nurtures understanding, inspires empathic
response and motivates individuals to take action.
What makes a good story is different for each intended
audience – what is of interest to users will be different for
funders. To be most effective, each story should include
factual and emotional elements and be tailored to connect to
the interests, needs and motivations of the target audience.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
Good stories are powerful vehicles to engage with your users
and to share ideas, experiences and knowledge.
Stories build awareness of your hub, promote your purpose
and values, engage emotionally with your audience
and attract the right team. They also communicate your
achievements and demonstrate your impact to help secure
future users, revenue and support.
Stories engage your users and can mobilise people. They can
convince, persuade and change a course of action. This tool
helps you to structure a narrative by focusing in detail on the
key elements that make up a good story.
2.3
Elements for a
Persuasive Story
45
70CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 For inspiration, start by thinking of examples of
powerful stories used by an organisation, brand or
country. What engaged your interest?
2 Take a few minutes to think of a story you want to tell
about your hub. It could be about a particular user, a
programme you have created or even the hub itself.
3 Complete the tool, starting on the first column:
‘Stakeholders’ Motivations’.
4 Who do you want to share the story with? Reflect on
your stakeholder map or personas and select 1–3
groups to share a story with. State the motivations of
each stakeholder group.
5 In ‘Empathy’, consider how you will connect emotionally
with each audience (e.g. what words will you use, what
reaction do you want to stimulate?).
6 In ‘Understanding’, provide information to show
you are aware of the situation or wider context that
relates to your message (e.g. the cultural, political and
economic circumstances).
7 Now add in what you are proposing (e.g. the problem
you will address or the action you plan to take).
8 Finally, connect this ‘Proposal’ and what you are
suggesting to the ‘Benefits’ that will be generated for
each audience.
9 Are you connecting your story to your audience’s
motivations and priorities?
10 Authenticity is important to really connect – draw on
your own personal experience and observations.
RELATED TOOLS
Vision and Mission
Mapping Your Stakeholders
Persona Development
PERSONA DEVELOPMENT
72CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
The success and sustainability of your hub is connected to
the benefits generated by the range of activities it offers.
As a hub leader, you will make strategic decisions about the
variety and frequency of the events and services you provide,
how they meet the needs of your users and how they
contribute to revenue generation.
To do this effectively, you will need detailed knowledge of
activities currently offered by your hub as well as ideas about
those you would like to offer in the future. You will want to
ensure coherence across the range of activities you deliver
and ensure you have the capacity and skills required to
provide them while meeting users’ needs and connecting to
your hub’s vision.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
Considering the full extent of your hub’s current and
potential offering ensures activities align with your vision
and operating model. Clustering similar activities together
by theme, format or other characteristics can help you form
‘programmes’ of work.
By developing an in-depth understanding of your activities,
you can more easily evaluate the impact and prioritise
resources to deliver those with the greatest benefit to your
hub and its users. Effectively curating the activities your hub
provides can ensure you have a distinctive, compelling and
sustainable offer.
2.4
Activities to
Offer
60
74CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Firstly, on individual stickies, write each of the services
and activities your hub currently provides (e.g. events,
workshops, online programmes, festivals, venue hire,
international collaborations).
2 Cluster these activities into related themes, formats, etc.
3 Now set a timer for a 15-minute brainstorm on activities
you want to offer in the future. Consider the gaps in
your current activities.
4 Remember the rules for brainstorming: go for quantity
over quality, don’t judge ideas, look for wild ideas and
keep focused on the task.
5 Use one stickie per idea. This will make it easier to move
position and cluster on the worksheet.
6 Can you add to the clusters you created in step 2? Are
there any new clusters or opportunities emerging?
7 Complete an Activities to Offer tool for each theme or
key activity. Start by describing the activity, the target
audience, the need it is serving and what is distinctive
about it.
8 Next, state what ‘Resources’ (e.g. skills, facilities,
equipment, etc.) are needed to deliver each activity.
State the ‘Barriers’ to achieving success and how you
might overcome them.
9 Now describe the ‘Benefits’ this activity generates.
Think about social, environmental and financial impacts
for your hub, your users and wider stakeholders.
10 Finally, prioritise the themes and activities in a way that
makes sense for your hub. Criteria for prioritisation
might include: whether activities align with the hub
vision or meet a community need, cost of delivery,
income they generate, availability of resources and
uniqueness of the offering.
RELATED TOOLS
Persona Development
User Research Plan
Theory of Change
Hub Business Canvas
ACTIVITIES TO OFFER
CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
76
DESCRIPTION
Give a brief description of the activity...
- EACH EVENT WILL BE DELIVERED IN A LOCAL VENUE AND SHARED ONLINE VIA OUR
WEBSITE
- WE WILL ADDRESS A SPECIFIC TOPIC FOR EACH EVENT THAT RESPONDS TO THE
REQUESTS OF OUR MEMBERS
DELIVERY
When will this take place? How often?
- WE WILL DELIVER 10 EVENTS PER YEAR
- EACH WILL LAST UP TO 2 HOURS TO ALLOW FOR NETWORKING AS WELL AS
PRESENTATIONS
- EVENTS WILL BE RECORDED AND HIGHTLIGHTS SHARED ON OUR WEBSITE
RESOURCES
List all the resources associates with this
activity e.g. people, materials, space.
- STAFF
- EVENT SPACE
- BUDGET (BARRIER)
- DIGITAL MARKETING
- SPEAKERS
- BRANDING
BARRIERS
What potential challenges do
you envision? And how will you overcome
them?
- POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
NEED TO BE PLANNNED FOR
BENEFITS
List all the benefits this activity brings and
who for. Consider your hub and also your
stakeholders.
- RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF OUR
MEMBERS TO HELP THEM BE MORE
RESILIENT
- BUILDING A NETWORK OF CREATIVES
- INSPIRATION AND CONNECTION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY
MONEY IN, MONEY OUT
How much will this activity
cost? How much will this activity bring in?
EACH EVENT:
- COST: 500
- INCOME: 1000
ACTIVITIES TO OFFER
COMPLETED EXAMPLE OF
ACTIVITIES TO OFFER
78CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Focusing on users in the design of your hub’s activities
will ensure your offering is appealing and relevant to
their needs.
User research helps you build a deeper understanding
of their drivers and motivations. It can take many forms
including: observation, interviewing and prototype testing.
It does not need to be lengthy, intimidating or expensive but
it does require a plan and careful questioning to discover
genuine new insights.
It is best to combine traditional information (e.g. age,
gender, income, education) with richer detail on lifestyles,
motivations and experiences. Knowing the questions to ask
is key to understanding user experiences.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
User research lets you put yourself in the shoes of your users
in order to better meet their needs. Understanding their
needs and motivations will save you time and effort when
creating the activities for your hub.
Users are often willing to share their thoughts and have
their voices heard, providing you with valuable information
on how to shape new activities or improve existing ones.
Practice will improve your skill at user research – look to build
it into the everyday activities of your hub. Each conversation
is an opportunity to gather new information and deepen
your understanding. Also, user research is a great source of
information for creating personas.
2.5
User
Research Plan
30
80CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Start by thinking about the topic or activity you want to
know more about.
2 Next, specify the target group you want to hear from or
test an idea with (e.g. digital creatives, potential users,
young entrepreneurs, start-ups).
3 How many people can you reach? Be realistic about
how many will want to participate and the resources
you will need to achieve this. Remember, input from
even a small number of users can uncover valuable
information.
4 Now consider what research method to use. It is
straightforward and inexpensive to take written
notes from interviews and observations but they may
miss important details. Video recordings will capture
everything but can be time-consuming, costly and may
inhibit user responses. What approach or combination
suits your purpose best?
5 You need to plan what you will do with the information
you gather. Who will analyse it? How will you respond to
the suggestions and insights you gain?
6 Now think about the specific questions that help you
gather the information you need. Open questions
(starting with what, how and why) provide more
thoughtful information. Limit the questions to a
manageable number.
7 Is there an experienced researcher who can help to
shape the questions? If you have the money, you can
hire them to conduct user research to reduce bias.
8 When it comes to actually involving the user, there are
three things you can do to deepen your understanding:
• Encourage the user to be specific rather than give
general answers. Respectfully prompt them to tell
you more.
• Ask the user to show you how they engage with the
activity, facility or service you are interested in. If
you are exploring a process, ask them to describe or
sketch out each step.
• Use a ‘Think Aloud’ test with the user, asking them
to share aloud their thoughts as they carry out a
task or process to uncover deeper motivations,
concerns and perceptions.
RELATED TOOLS
Mapping Your Stakeholders
Persona Development
Activities to Offer
USER RESEARCH PLAN
2
82
CONNECTING
YOUR HUB
TOOLS
84CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
This tool guides you to think about the different stakeholders who are
affected by your hub or who can influence its success. It helps you prioritise
relationships so that you can manage them more effectively.
2.1
Mapping Your Stakeholders
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
P
OT
E
NTIAL
STAKEHOLDERS
IN
DIRECT
STAKEHOLDERS
DIRECT
STAKEHOLDERS
YOUR PURPOSE
Who would
you like to
engage
with in
the
future?
Who has infuence
on the
direct stakeholders?
Who
do
you
need to
keep close?
What is the ambition for your hub?
Who is indirectly
affected
by what you do?
Who is most affected by what you do?
Who
has greatest infuence on what you do?
86CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
A persona helps you to map out the key characteristics of a particular group
of stakeholders, e.g. users/audience, team, partners, funders. Create a
separate persona for each stakeholder group. Write from their perspective.
2.2
Persona Development
PROFILE
Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Stakeholder group:
WHO AM I?
What are my interests? What is my
personality like? What are my skills, dreams
and social enviroment?
REASONS FOR ME
TO ENGAGE WITH YOU:
1
2
3
REASONS FOR ME TO NOT
ENGAGE WITH YOU:
1
2
3
MY MOTIVATIONS
MY FRUSTRATIONS
MY GOALS ENABLERS
What helps me to achieve
my goals?
BARRIERS
What obstructs me from achieving my
goals?
add picture or drawing
source: adapted from diy toolkit
88CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
This tool supports you to identify and elaborate on the key elements that are
needed to create a compelling story.
2.3
Elements for a Persuasive Story
source: adapted from diy toolkit
WHO:
What is important to them?
What will they want to know about your hub?
WHO:
What is important to them?
What will they want to know about your hub?
WHO:
What is important to them?
What will they want to know about your hub?
STAKEHOLDER MOTIVATIONS
Who will you be telling this story to
(e.g. user/audience, funder, partner)?
EMPATHY
What messages/words will
you use to connect with them
on an emotional level?
UNDERSTANDING
What messages/words
will you use to show you
understand their priorities
and challenges?
PROPOSAL
What are you proposing in
your story? How does this
relate to what they need?
BENEFIT
In what way will this
information benefit them?
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
90CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
The tool will help you map out all the different activities your hub will or
could offer. Complete this tool for every activity.
2.4
Activities to Offer
DESCRIPTION
Give a brief description of the activity...
DELIVERY
When will this take place? How often?
RESOURCES
List all the resources associated with this
activity e.g. people, materials, space.
BARRIERS
What potential challenges do you envision?
And how will you overcome them?
BENEFITS
List all the benefits this activity brings and
who for. Consider your hub and also your
stakeholders.
MONEY IN, MONEY OUT
How much will this activity
cost? How much will this activity bring in?
92CONNECTING YOUR HUB
2
Use this tool to help you plan how you will connect with your users and better
understand their needs. This will ensure the activities you offer are appealing
and successful.
2.5
User Research Plan
USER GROUP
What user group do you want to know more
about? Who do you want to test your idea
with?
HOW MANY PEOPLE?
How many people from this user group can
you speak with? Be realistic. Hearing from
just one is better than having no user input.
WHAT RESEARCH METHOD WILL
WORK BEST?
Select the method that works best for your
purpose e.g. observations, testing a product
or service, interviews.
HOW WILL YOU CAPTURE THE
INFORMATION?
Try using a mix of photographs, written
notes, video, audio recording, sketches,
diagrams.
WHAT DO I WANT TO KNOW?
List the questions you want to ask to gain the information you need. Use open questions starting with What, How, Why.
TIPS FOR UNDERSTANDING
YOUR USERS
· Be Specific
Seek rich information by asking about
specific experiences and details. Ask the
user to tell you more.
· Show Me
Ask the user to show you the objects,
spaces, etc they interact with. Or ask them
to walk you through a process.
· Think Aloud
As they perform a task or process, ask
them to describe aloud what they are
thinking.
credit: journey associates / adapted from diy toolkit
3
94
BUILDING
YOUR HUB
Hubs exist to serve their communities. To do this effectively,
hub leaders have to plan the kind of support the hub
will provide, clarify the benefits this brings and prioritise
resources to generate a positive impact. You will be more
likely to succeed if you understand what support your users
and wider network value and how you can provide this.
The ability to recognise, capture and communicate the social,
cultural and economic impacts your hub generates for the
community, its partners and wider network is critical to
building long-term success.
THIS SECTION CONTAINS: 1 Theory of Change 2 Measuring Impact 3 Hub Business Canvas 4 Orbit Chart 5 Hub Action Plan
96BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Creative hubs seek to make a positive impact on the
communities they serve. To do this, it is vital to be clear
about the impact you want to create through your hub’s
activities and who will benefit.
As a hub leader, you must plan the change you want to
make, create the conditions for success and gather evidence
to demonstrate you have achieved your goal.
Theory of Change is a structured approach to mapping out
the steps you need to take to tackle the challenge you have
identified. It encourages a long-term view and encompasses
the social, cultural and economic impact you want to make.
Use it to test your idea, review your situation or plan ahead.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
Planning for impact helps connect proposed activities to the
communities you want to serve and to the ultimate change
you want to make. The Theory of Change tool links the
problem you want to solve, your hub’s vision, your audience
and the change you want to make, in a coherent way.
Having a clear idea of your intended impact and how you
plan to do it can help keep you focused and on track. It can
ensure your team members understand the wider goal, their
role in achieving it. Your Theory of Change can be used as
part of a proposal to secure external support in the form of
funding or partnerships.
3.1
Theory of
Change
45
98BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Think about your ultimate goal. Refer to your Vision
and Mission, Defining a Need and Mapping Your
Stakeholders tools.
2 Complete the first column, stating the ‘Problem’ or
need you want to address.
3 Who is this a problem for? Are you targeting more than
one audience? Consider individuals, organisations,
communities and any partners.
4 If your problem is not clearly defined, it can help to start
at the middle column and state the activities you will
provide to make change.
5 What ‘Activities’ are you in a good position to provide to
bring about change?
6 Think beyond the immediate tangible outcomes to
the longer-term ‘Impact’ you want to make. Include
financial, cultural, social and environmental effects as
appropriate to your hub.
7 Do your activities result in different impacts for each
audience group?
8 What measures will you put in place to show your
actions have achieved your goal?
9 Use the Measuring Impact tool to help you pinpoint the
most relevant type of data to collect.
RELATED TOOLS
Vision and Mission
Defining a Need
Mapping Your Stakeholders
User Research Plan
Measuring Impact
THEORY OF CHANGE
100BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
COMPLETED EXAMPLE OF
THEORY OF CHANGE
PROBLEM
What is the problem you are trying
to address, or need you want to
fulfill?
- WE WANT TO CREATE A
HOME FOR CREATIVES
STAKEHOLDERS
Who is it a problem for? And who
else cares?
- CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
- CREATIVE INDUSTRY COURSE
LECTURERS AND STUDENTS
- CREATIVES BASED
IN CORPORATE
ORGANISATIONS
- CORPORATES LOOKING TO
ENGAGE WITH CREATIVES
- ORGANISATIONS LOOKING
TO ENGAGE WITH
CREATIVES
- FUNDERS LOOKING TO
SUPPORT CREATIVES
ACTIVITIES
What action will you take
to create change?
- EVENTS
- WORKSHOPS
- ADVICE SESSIONS
- ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT
- DESK SPACE
- ONLINE NETWORK
IMPACT
In the long term, what will happen
as a result of your activities?
- WE WILL DELIVER 20+
WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS
ANNUALLY
- OUR EVENTS AND
WORKSHOPS WILL REACH
1000+ PEOPLE ANNUALLY
- WE WILL ‘HOUSE’ 50
CREATIVES IN OUR SPACE
- WE WILL BUILD A
REPUTATION AS THE
GO-TO ORGANISATION
SUPPORTING CREATIVES
EVIDENCE
How will you show that your
activities have achieved the
intended impact?
- YEARLY SURVEY TO OUR HUB
TENANTS
- YEARLY SURVEY TO THE WIDER
MAILING LIST OF PEOPLE WHO
ATTEND OUR PROGRAMMES
BUT DON’T HAVE A DESK
SPACE WITH US
- EVALUATION FORMS AT
EVERY EVENT AND WORKSHOP
- MEDIA COVERAGE ON OUR
HUB TEAM AS SECTOR
EXPERTS
3THEORY OF CHANGE
102BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Developing a compelling story about your impact can be
challenging but is essential to demonstrate the value of your
hub and its activities. Your community, partners and funders
will be interested in the impact of your hub. It is also great
for motivating you and your team to recognise the difference
you are making!
You must decide what data to gather such as: quantitative
data showing facts and figures, qualitative data to deepen
your understanding of your hub’s influence or, most likely, a
combination of the two.
Hubs often create spillover effects – for example, making
the area more attractive to live in, work in and visit. It is
important to recognise these indirect benefits too.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
Monitoring your impact helps to identify whether your
activities are achieving what you want them to. Setting
measures for success allows you to exercise control and
maintain focus in meeting your vision. By measuring impact,
you know when an activity has reached its target and when
you need to take action if expectations are not met.
It can be difficult to prove that you contributed to or caused
certain changes – so be clear to distinguish between the
changes you directly cause and those you partially or
indirectly contribute to. Having data to show your impact
helps to engage your community and can give confidence to
funders and partners that you can deliver.
3.2
Measuring
Impact
60
104BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Start by stating the change you want to bring about.
Look back to your Theory of Change or Defining a
Need tools.
2 What qualitative measures might you use to assess
impact (e.g. quality of experience, sense of community,
enhanced wellbeing)? Use open questions beginning
with How, What and Why.
3 What quantitative measures might you use to evidence
change (e.g. what percentage of users benefited,
how many people engaged, how many activities were
delivered)?
4 Include measures for broader indirect impacts on your
town or city and on the spread and development of
hubs.
5 Gather any information you can before you start your
activities. Baseline data is valuable for assessing how
effectively you meet your target.
6 Sources of data can vary and include published reports,
existing surveys and direct feedback from users and
other stakeholders.
7 Qualitative tools for collecting data can include
observation, interviews, focus groups, photographs and
any other way of demonstrating impact. A few in-depth
interviews can provide valuable information about your
impact and can be more powerful than numbers alone.
8 Quantitative tools can include surveys, questionnaires
and evaluation reports.
9 You will probably use a combination of qualitative and
quantitative tools to engage with those who benefit
from your hub activities.
10 Be realistic about how many people you can reach and
how often you can gather data – it requires time and
resources to gather and to work out what it means.
RELATED TOOLS
Defining the Need
Mapping Your Stakeholders
User Research Plan
Theory of Change
MEASURING IMPACT
106BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Your business model describes the value you create for
your users and how you generate revenue. The business
model you adopt will depend on the purpose of your hub
and the ways you generate income to sustain or grow your
activities. Whether your hub is a charity, a social venture,
a co-operative or a for-profit organisation, you will want to
select the business model that best fits with your resources
and your vision.
The Hub Business Canvas allows you to further explore
opportunities to generate revenue such as: studio rental,
training services, membership fees and event delivery. These
may change over time and your business model should
evolve to reflect this.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
The Hub Business Canvas is a useful structure to summarise
your business model – the purpose, activity and value
created by your hub. It can be used to describe the hub as
a whole, as well as specific activities and programmes. The
canvas helps you plan by breaking down what the hub offers
into distinct activities and linking them visually.
A clear business model helps you stay focused on meeting
audience needs and generating income. It can also nurture a
shared purpose across the hub team.
By using it as a planning tool, you can reduce the risk of
failure by identifying weaknesses in your model early on.
3.3
Hub Business
Canvas
45
108BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 It is often easier to start with ‘Value Proposition’ and
stating the audience need you are fulfilling. Then detail
the ‘Key Activities’ required to achieve this. Refer to your
Vision and Mission, Defining the Need and Theory of
Change.
2 To complete the ‘User and Audience Segments’, ‘User
and Audience Relationships’ and ‘Key Partners’ sections
draw from Mapping Your Stakeholders and Persona
Development.
3 Elements for a Persuasive Story and Measuring Impact
tools can provide insights into your ‘User & Audience
Relationships’ too.
4 Use your Activities to Offer and Hub Action Plan to
think about ‘Distribution Channels’, how you deliver
your ‘Key Activities’ and the ‘Key Resources’ you need to
achieve this.
5 Persona Development and data gathered through
Measuring Impact can direct you to the most effective
‘Distribution Channels’ for reaching your audience.
6 When completing ‘Cost Structure’, be honest about
the cost of delivering the activities you are planning. Add a
contingency fund as costs are likely to be more than
you planned!
7 Detail the income you will generate in ‘Revenue Stream’.
It will have to be at least as much as the delivery cost to
break even or more to make a profit.
8 Note that if costs are more than revenue, the business
is likely to fail unless you can meet the shortfall. with
alternative funding.
RELATED TOOLS
Vision and Mission
Mapping Your Stakeholders
Persona Development
Activities to Offer
Elements for a Persuasive Story
User Research Plan
Theory of Change
Measuring Impact
Hub Action Plan
HUB BUSINESS CANVAS
110BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Planning ahead allows you to manage your team and
activities more effectively and guides the future of your hub
in a controlled way. Whether you want your hub to grow or
just continue to function effectively, it is crucial to be clear on
the key components needed to set you up for future success.
The Orbit Chart is a strategic planning tool to guide decisionmaking around the priority areas of your hub.
You can plan for 12 months or three years – whatever makes
sense for your hub. Every hub will emphasise different
components which may change over time.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
Planning your resources and activities is vital to ensure your
hub remains sustainable and to identify opportunities for
growth. The Orbit Chart visualises the key drivers for your
hub to guide decision-making and help you keep on track to
achieving your goals.
Planning to grow your hub requires time and investment.
You will need to give careful consideration to how you build
or develop your team and the financial implications of this.
Looking outside the hub, identify opportunities to develop
your hub and possible barriers you will need to address to
ensure success.
3.4
Orbit Chart
45
112BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Use the broken lines radiating out from the centre of
the Orbit Chart to name the key components that are
vital for your hub to deliver on its vision.
2 You can use the suggested labels and create others you
may want to prioritise.
3 The hub team and finance are drivers that should
always be included.
4 How far ahead are you looking? If three years is too
much, try 12 months and write this on the outer circle.
On the middle circle write 6 months.
5 Complete the tool, showing what you need to achieve for
each component in the timeframes you have selected.
6 Your people are vital to achieving success. Do they have
the skills you need to take the hub forward? If not, how
will they gain these skills?
7 Does your current team have the capacity to realise
your goal or do you need to develop or add to your
team to ensure success?
8 How much extra will investing in your hub’s future cost
and how will you find the money to pay for this?
9 How will your overheads be affected by growth?
10 How will you maintain your hub culture as it grows?
RELATED TOOLS
Mapping Your Stakeholders
Persona Development
Activities to Offer
Theory of Change
Measuring Impact
ORBIT CHART
114BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
money
revenue
activity
profile
people
impact
NOW
YEAR 2 & 3
YEAR 1
COMPLETED EXAMPLE OF
ORBIT CHART
members
ORBIT CHART
5 0 % G R A N T F U N D E D
50% INCOME GENERATION
7 5 % G R A N T F U N D E D
25% INCOME GENERATION
3.5 STAFF
3 STAFF
1 0 0 %
GRANTS
2 STAFF
F U N D E R S
& BOARD W E B S I T E ,
S O C I A L
MEDIA
H A V E T W O F E A T U R E S
I N I N D U S T R Y
P U B L I C A T I O N S T O
RAISE AWARENESS
I N V I T E D S P E A K E R A T
N A T I O N A L E V E N T A S
L E A D I N G A U T H O R I T Y
ON HUBS
2 NEW PARTNERS
1 NEW FUNDER 1 N E W I N T E R N A T I O N A L
PARTNER
B O A R D E X T E N D E D T O
R E P R E S E N T N E W A C T I V I T I E S
COACHING
FOR STAFF S T U D E N T
PLACEMENTS
F U N D E R J O I N S
BOARD 1 N E W C O N T R A C T
TO DELIVER SERVICES
I N C R E A S E C U R R E N T I N C O M E
BY 100%
I N C R E A S E C U R R E N T
INCOME BY 50%
L A U N C H
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
M E M B E R S H I P
PROGRAMME 1 0 0 F U L L
MEMBERS
1 5 0 A SS O C I A T E
MEMBERS 50 FULLMEMBERS
1 3 0 A SS O C I A T E
MEMBERS
1 0 E V E N T S
P E R Y E A R
D E S I G N A N D
T E S T TA I L O R E D
B U S I N E SS A D V I C E
P R O G R A M M E F O R 6
M E M B E R S
R O L L O U T
B U S I N E SS S U P P O R T
P R O G R A M E M E T O
R U N T W I C E A Y E A R
W I T H 1 0 M E M B E R S
ON EACH
116BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
WHY USE THIS TOOL?
Completing a few tools for your hub is just the start of your
journey. For ideas to have impact, you need to plan how you
will put them into practice.
The amount of activities and variety of challenges a hub
faces can feel overwhelming for any leader. Taking a
structured approach to action means you stay focused on
what needs to be done, what you are responsible for, who
else can help and what difficulties you need to overcome.
The Hub Action Plan tool helps you achieve this.
HOW WILL THIS TOOL HELP ME?
The Hub Action Plan tool helps you clearly state what needs
to be done to move the plan for your hub forward. Knowing
what you are responsible for and what you can delegate to
others is vital so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Clearly defined tasks can protect you from becoming a
bottleneck where actions are delayed or not completed.
Delegating tasks can help you avoid burnout and ensure you
are engaging the skills, knowledge and motivation of your
team. Involving others in delivering actions is a powerful
way to keep everyone involved and focused on the
hub’s purpose.
When actions are completed, celebrate your achievements!
3.5
Hub Action
Plan
45
118BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
HOW DO I USE THIS TOOL?
1 Review your completed tools and make a long list of
activities you want to take forward.
2 Prioritise the three most important activities.
3 Consider having a mix of longer-term activities that
require planning and easier tasks you can achieve more
quickly. Quick wins will boost the team while tackling
things long-term will help you think strategically.
4 Go through the tool from left to right, starting with the
‘Action’ you will take. Be as specific as you can, outlining
each step from beginning to end.
5 Now think about the ‘Resources’ (e.g. equipment,
space, training, information) you need to achieve this
task. What might stand in your way and how will you
overcome this?
6 In ‘Lead’, name the people who will be responsible for
driving and delivering the action. Consider if they have
the skills and focus to do so. If not, how they can be
supported in their role? And who they will report to?
7 Then consider who else could help deliver this activity.
In ‘Support’, name them and what skills or experience
they can bring. Look outside of the hub to your
partners, advisors and even your users as well as within
your team.
8 Specify the timeframe for delivering the action. In
‘Time’, set a date and agree on this with your team.
9 As hub leader, consider how you will keep in touch with
progress and ensure your delivery team is supported
in their task. You might choose to have regular team
updates, meetings or presentations.
10 When you achieve your goal, or key steps on that
journey, remember to take time to celebrate your
success!
RELATED TOOLS
Defining the Need
Activities to Offer
Theory of Change
Hub Business Canvas
HUB ACTION PLAN
3
120
BUILDING
YOUR HUB
TOOLS
BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
122
This tool will help you better understand the change you want to see. Map
your path to creating change, from problem through to impact.
3.1
Theory of Change
PROBLEM
What is the problem you are trying
to address, or need you want to
fulfill?
STAKEHOLDERS
Who is it a problem for? And who
else cares?
ACTIVITIES
What action will you take to create
change?
IMPACT
In the long term, what will happen
as a result of your activities?
EVIDENCE
How will you show that your
activities have achieved the
intended impact?
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
124
This tool will help you think about how you measure your impact and create
an evidence base to share your successes with confidence.
3.2
Measuring Impact
WHAT IS THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE?
BASELINE DATA AND TARGETS
Where are you starting from? What data is available to show this?
Having a baseline enables you to show a change has occurred.
METRICS
What evidence will you gather? What are the impact measures you need to capture to
see that the change is happening?
SOURCES OF DATA
What people or documents can give you the information you
need? What existing data is already out there?
DATA COLLECTION TOOLS
What tools and methods will you use to measure your
impact? What is the best way to engage your beneficiaries?
What can you automate?
DATA COLLECTION FREQUENCY
How often and at what points will you collect data to
understand the impact of your activities?
The action I will take after completing this exercise is...
BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
126
This tool will help you break down your hub offer and develop a clear plan to
launch, sustain or grow your hub.
3.3
Hub Business Canvas
SOURCES OF DATA
key partners
Who are your key partners/
suppliers? What are their
motivations?
WHAT DO YOU DO?
value proposition
What core value do you deliver to
your user/audience? Which needs
are you satisfying?
WHO DO YOU HELP?
user & audience segments
Which groups are you creating
value for? Who is your most
important user group/audience?
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
key activities
What key activities does your
value proposition require? What
activities are most important for
your user/audience relationships,
distribution channels, revenue
streams, etc.?
HOW DO YOU INTERACT?
user & audience relationships
What relationship does the user/
audience expect you to establish?
How can you integrate that into
your work in terms of cost and
format?
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
key resources
What key resources does your
value proposition require?
HOW DO YOU REACH THEM?
distribution channels
Which channels work best to reach
your user/audience? How much
do they cost? How can they be
integrated into you and your user/
audience routines?
WHAT WILL IT COST?
cost structure What is the cost of each of the resources needed to deliver your work?
What are the direct and indirect costs? What are the total costs to deliver to the user/audience?
HOW MUCH WILL YOU MAKE?
revenue stream What will your users/audience pay for? How much are they willing to pay?
How do they prefer to pay? How much revenue does this generate? How does this contribute
to the overall hub revenue?
source: diy toolkit
BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
128
Use this tool to plan the crucial
components to running your
creative hub. Labels you might
use could be: community
management, events,
programmes, etc.
3.4
Orbit Chart
money
activity
people
impact
WHATDOYOUHAVE INPLACENOW?
YEAR 2 & 3: WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOU WILL HAVE ACHIEVED?
YEAR 1: WHAT WILL YOU HAVE ACHIEVED?
BUILDING YOUR HUB
3
130
This tool will help you detail what you need to have in place to take forward
actions in a structured way. The more specific you are in planning, the more
likely you are to achieve your goal.
3.5
Hub Action Plan
ACTION
What will you do? Be
specific – detail the steps
you will take. Use action
words.
RESOURCE
What information,
equipment, etc. do you
need? Are there barriers
you need to address?
LEAD
Who is responsible? Do
they have the experience,
motivation, skills? Who do
they report into?
SUPPORT
Who else has relevant
knowledge or experience?
Think about your team and
your wider network.
TIME
When will it be done? When
and how will you update on
progress along the way?
PRIORITY 2
What is the name of this
activity?
Which tool did it
come from?
PRIORITY 1
What is the name of this
activity?
Which tool did it
come from?
PRIORITY 3
What is the name of this
activity?
Which tool did it
come from?
credit: journey associates
132CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
Additional
Resources
The Creative Enterprise Toolkit: developed and published
by Nesta and now translated into 12 languages by British
Council.
134CREATIVE HUB LEADER’S TOOLKIT
Acknowledgements
Nesta, British Council and Hivos appreciate the individuals
and organisations listed below for their contribution
developing the content within this toolkit.
We’d like to thank all those involved in the testing and
delivery of Creative Hubs Academy in Brazil, Indonesia,
Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Vietnam and Zimbabwe –
including the brilliant trainers, our British Council and Hivos
colleagues and, of course, the hub leaders.
We’d also like to thank Imogen Lawry, Diana Hidalgo, Isobel
Roberts, Brooke Stuckey, Emma Dickson, Elena Oyon, Matt
Payne, Georgina Innes and Glen Mehn.
Core team:
Nesta: Kimberley Ballantyne and Sonja Dahl
British Council: Lynsey Smith and Roxana Apostol
Hivos: Arthur Steiner and Myriam Vandenbroucke
Author: Catherine Docherty, Journey Associates
Designer: Priscila Vanneuville, Palabras lugar
Photographer credits: Toa Heftiba Şinca, 3Motional Studio,
João Jesus, Pixabay, Martin Lopez and Anni Roenkae on
Pexels; Annie Spratt, Christin Hume, Hannah Olinger, Jon
Tyson, Campaign creators, Ypu X Ventures and Bethany
Szentesi on Unsplash; Dominik Trybakopia and Lindokuhle
Dube for British Council.
First edition 2020
The content for this toolkit has been created for the
Creative Hubs Academy, a global learning offer developed by
Nesta, Hivos and British Council.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial
Share Alike (3.0 Unported). Uses are thus permitted without any further
permission from the copyright owner. Permissions beyond the scope of this
license are administered by Nesta, British Council and Hivos.
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
ABOUT NESTA
Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold
ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise,
skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society.
Nesta is based in the UK and supported by a financial endowment. We work
with partners around the globe to bring bold ideas to life to change the
world for good.
nesta.org.uk
ABOUT THE BRITISH COUNCIL
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural
relations and educational opportunities. We work with over 100 countries in
the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society.
Last year we reached over 80 million people directly and 791 million people
overall including online, broadcasts and publications. We make a positive
contribution to the countries we work with – changing lives by creating
opportunities, building connections and engendering trust. Founded in 1934
we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We
receive a 15 per cent core funding grant from the UK government.
britishcouncil.org
ABOUT HIVOS
Hivos is an international social justice organization, seeking new and
creative solutions to persistent global problems; solutions created by people
taking their lives into their own hands. Together with our partners, we are
building a positive counterbalancing force against discrimination, inequality,
abuse of power and the unsustainable use of our planet’s resources. For 25
years, Hivos has supported the arts and cultural sector because we believe
art has the power to question hegemonic structures in society, to create
alternative narratives, imagine new realities, and bring about progressive
social change. We work with creative hubs through different programs,
among others Resource of Open Minds and BOOST. Hivos also organizes
different Global Creative Hub meetings, such as our pan-African event
African Crossroads, with editions in Marrakesh and Mombasa.
hivos.org |