Method hexi kits

Since our inception over the last 20 years, Dave Snowden and The Cynefin Company has developed a series of complex methods and practices, as well as an approach to assembling those methods and tools into context-sensitive process designs and outputs using hexagons.

As part of our ongoing rewilding, we're proud to introduce the Hexi, produced by The Cynefin Co which aims to create the scaffolding in which, to use the cliché, a thousands flowers can bloom, while maintaining our distinct approach. That includes concepts and methods that we would not usually place under our brand and with which we may well have differences.

Rewilding is not about a return to an original stage, but a restoration of balance. More recently, we have focused predominately on SenseMaker and largely neglected the rich body of methods and theories we have developed over the years. In strategic terms, we are looking to remove the barriers to adoption, and work with other partners to grow the field as a whole.

You can order your Hexi Kit on our website

What is Hexi?

Hexi is a physical artefact produced by The Cynefin Co, to consolidate methods, approaches, tools and techniques that can be applied to real-world organisational issues. This artefact starts with Cynefin and anthrocomplexity associated methods. With a view to incorporate methods and tools from a range of perspectives.

How to use Hexi

These Hexi kits are designed to facilitate groups in workshops, planning or strategy sessions, encouraging new approaches to how they untangle and plan for sticky problems and decomposing and recombining methods.

Taking any contextual setting, the Hexi cards can be used to physically connect elements and methods into unique, context-specific solutions. Each Hexi has explanatory text and a link to our open-source wiki with the method steps, a history of its development and practitioner tips.

Types of kits

There are currently two kits: The Base Kit and the Managing Complexity (and Chaos) in Times of Crisis Kit.

The Managing Complexity (and Chaos) in Times of Crisis Kit is based on the EU Field Guide by the same title (our joint publication with the EU Commission's Joint Research Centre). It offers an integration of our methods and body of work, using Cynefin as a lens for managing and navigating in complexity and crisis. The kit contains all the key methods and tools outlined in the EU Field Guide - a complex ecosystem of possible approaches to use within your organisation or community in times of crisis, represented in simple. tactile, interactive Hexi pieces. This Hexi kit can be used in physical or virtual environments (virtual version coming soon), allowing groups to work together on problems they face. For those needing training support on the methods, please see put combined training and Hexi kit offering.

Using Hexi with clients

There are several ways that Hexi have been used in cient facing situations.

• Workshops for scenario planning, working with organsisaions to work on hypothetical futures and understanding how the organisation could would hope to respond
• As a tool used in scoping for designing interventions in organsisaitons. Where the Hexi can assist in holding the knowlegde of the client as discussions take place.
• Understanding where an organisation is at present working out what options are availble to them