Our work in communities has shown that people often have a hard time recognizing the progress that is occurring as it unfolds. When they can’t see the progress happening, they also can’t raise it up to other people in the community. This inability to see and share progress creates obstacles to continuing the work, as people lose confidence and hope.
Making the invisible visible is the practice of naming, telling and spreading stories of change and progress as they emerge—in essence, making “visible” what is often “invisible.”
Making the invisible visible is a critical part of creating a “can-do” narrative. A can-do narrative unfolds over time. People must be able to see where they are, what came before, and hope for the future. A new narrative only takes form when people can see and make sense of the connections between and among different stories. The emergence of a can-do narrative in a community helps create a new trajectory of hope.
The Making the Invisible Visible Tool was developed to help you identify and lift up the good work you and others in the community are already doing. It will enable you and others to tell stories about your local efforts, which will illuminate the progress that is being made. It will also help you see what you’re achieving together, especially when progress can seem (and feel) slow.
More Resources
Making the Invisible Visible Tool