Moving the blog
So I have an OOD (Object of desire). This is a way of planning a project that I learned from Havi’s blog. I’m going to play with the process here and the detailed steps in the hard will eventually find their way to the intranet wiki. This is a variation on Gibbs Reflective Cycle really but a lot less dry & more fun.
The OOD process seems to me to be about dealing with the soft, the things that get in the way.
1. State the OOD.
I want to move the Classroom Displays blog to another domain.
Displays blog
2. Is this what I really want? In what ways?
Yes, it really is. What I really want is to bring things that belong together, together in one space. I want to ease confusion, for readers, for me, and for the dreaded Googlebot.
It appeals to my sense of order and logic for everything to be together.
I want the blog to return to getting better traffic, to reaching more people that I might be able to help. I suppose this links back to my original reason for setting up the blog in the first place. A core value, the sharing of good practice.
It’s time to review and bring stuff together.
Also the blog is old and a bit creaky. It needs to renew, a fresh install, a chance to clear out the old unlovely posts. It will be able to do the things I can do on other sites that I can’t get to work just now.
3. Qualities.
What qualities will this project bring into my life?
[+excitement] [+enthusiasm] [+joy] [+delight][+renewal] [+trust] [+pleasure] [+ease] [+flow][+experimentation] [+courage] [+energy]
4. Why I want this.
I want to reach more of my right people and help them. Along the way I want to make more money from my course and other displays projects and I can’t do that if they don’t find me.
5. Possible disadvantages, What-iffery, monster-objections.
What if Everything goes wrong.
What if I lose all the goodwill and links to the current blog.
301 re-directs should sort that out. Also big announcement/email people about a re-design and move might even get me new, better links!
What if Google thinks the new blog is a copy and treats it as a splog.
See above!
What if people realise I want to make money. (!) This is bad because apparently I’m not good enough to charge anyone for anything. Ever. (Spot the monster!)
This guy really needs to talk to the You’ll NEVER Make Any Money monster! I’ll play with the monster colouring book.
What if I still can’t do the things I want to the blog & it will all be for nothing.
I’ll do some due diligence first and check some of the techi bits work on the new host before I start.
What if I can’t finish before the new term?
Not sure that is a real problem at all. Maybe it doesn’t matter.
What if I get stuck in the middle?
I’ll ask for help.
What if it’s no good?
Monster negotiating time again.
6. Tizmun. The flow of the project
That’s these drawings
Mapping the journey
The Sea of New Possibilities
7. What will help?
Morning Pages!
Drink water!
Use the timer & have lots of breaks!
Spicy tea!
Do some reverse engineering!
Ask for help at the right times!
8. Slightly Future Me says….
It worked out really well. I think you should use the drawing idea more to help you find your way through. Use some of the RAW Art Journal ideas. Try not to compartmentalise things too much. You are a creative, visual person and I’d like you to remember that you can use that to help me get to here. Trust your instinctive reactions to designs and that will help your right people to know they are in the right place. We are making a creative learning space so it does matter that it looks right.
9. Allies, resources and helper mice!
Andy, of course. But other people too will help. Good FB connections, Edublogging friends, twitter allies, people who’ve done the course already, Havi and her helper mice for moral support.
10. Practical mapping.
OK so this goes on the wall not in public
Don’t forget steps in the hard & soft
11. Processing pain.
Bit like Gibbs – thinking and feelings
12. Revue!
1) What worked?
2) What might I want to try in the future?
My word for this year – move!
Update:
The Classroom Displays Blog has moved to a new site http://classroomdisplays.org.uk/ and has a snazzy new design. Next comes Revue 
