Reaction Foundry
Free worksheet / Bring the right people together

Collaboration map

Use this before inviting partners or designing a project on behalf of a community.

No account or email required. Read the guide, try the worksheet, or download a blank copy.

Use the worksheet ↓

How to use this worksheet

  1. Begin with the people affected by the challenge. Include people who may find it difficult to attend or whose contribution is easy to overlook.
  2. Add existing groups and informal networks. Record what you know about their work, and mark assumptions that need a conversation.
  3. Pair possible contributions with needs. Time, access, compensation, recognition and decision-making influence can matter as much as money or equipment.
  4. Make one clear invitation. Explain the purpose, what participation involves and which decisions remain open. Treat participation and resource commitments as unconfirmed until people agree.

A worked example

Illustrative scenario — not a client result.

Imagine neighbors exploring a shared tool library. A list of potential donors alone would miss the people who will borrow, maintain and manage the tools. Their map starts with these everyday responsibilities.

Who is closest to the challenge?
Neighbors who need tools, including people without storage or transport. Ask about convenient collection times and whether deposits would exclude anyone.
Who is already working on it?
An existing repair group and a neighborhood association may have useful experience. Contact them before assuming they want to join.
What can each person bring?
A resident might offer repair skills and the association might offer space. Both are possibilities, not confirmed commitments.
What does each person need?
A volunteer maintainer may need replacement parts and clear limits on hours. Borrowers may need accessible instructions and predictable opening times.
How will decisions be made?
Borrowing rules should include borrower input. The person or group responsible for the space must be involved in decisions about access and storage.
What is the next invitation?
Invite two prospective borrowers and a repair-group representative to a conversation about a small trial. Share the open questions and make declining easy.

What to watch for

A collaboration map is not consent, an ownership agreement or a list of committed partners. Keep contributions provisional until the people involved confirm them.

02 / Bring the right people together

Collaboration map

Use this before inviting partners or designing a project on behalf of a community.

Start with people affected by the challenge, then expand outward. Treat this as a map of relationships to develop, not a list of people who have already committed.

Download blank template (.txt) ↓
Read the prompts & add your notes
List people with lived experience of the situation. What would make it practical for them to participate?Identify existing groups, projects, and informal networks. What could you learn from or contribute to their work?Map relevant knowledge, skills, relationships, spaces, tools, or funding. Mark unconfirmed contributions as possibilities.Consider their goals, time, support, compensation, and concerns. Ask rather than assume.Propose who needs a voice in which decisions. Identify who can commit resources and what still needs agreement.Choose one person or group to contact. Write an invitation with a clear purpose, a manageable request, and room to decline.

Your notes stay in this page and are not submitted to us. Download them before leaving or refreshing.

Choose your next step

Use the small experiment planner to test one part of the idea with willing participants.

Open the next worksheet →

R3SET's project profile offers context on collaborative work and participation. The hypothetical tool-library example above is not a R3SET project.

Explore R3SET Agency's collaborative work →

Bring your challenge to a conversation →