With the card game Journey of Progress you can take a first step towards formalising your shared understanding on how and why change is supposed to happen in a given context.
| Use it to | Find a collaborative vision and explore your contribution to impact. |
|---|---|
| Who to involve | Your team and your (societal) partners and beneficiaries. |
| Results | A draft Theory of Change, an overview of change elements. |
What is Journey of Progress?
Journey of Progress is a card set for your team, project, initiative, unit, or your class. It helps you to:
- familiarise your group with backcasting and thinking about complex, long-term processes (like creating impact);
- start thinking of your Theory of Change;
- reflect on whether you are taking the right steps to achieve a long-term change.
The cards facilitate a collaborative discussion, helping you to think about a joint goal and ways to get there, building pathways from a desirable future to the specific actions and necessary steps needed. You can use Journey of Progress in various contexts to understand envisioned change processes. It allows for a more interesting, structured and time efficient approach to developing your Theory of Change.
How to play Journey of Progress?
Use it during a workshop or a meeting with your team, partners and beneficiaries, or in your lectures. With at least two and up to six players per set, having a good mix of people with different backgrounds and carrier stages gives the most insightful experience. The only thing you need is a shared topic between players, a table, some pens, and a set of the game.
Journey of Progress is based on Theory of Change, a method used for planning, monitoring and evaluation of societal impact. Click the buttons below to learn more about the method.
Below we offer a downloadable slide deck that can support delivering a workshop using the Journey of Progress game – for example when learning about and constructing a Theory of Change, defining joint goals and ambitions, or reflecting on the societal impact of a group, project or initiative.
How to get Journey of Progress?
Get your own set of the game by filling out the form below. Once we received the form, we will reach out to you to confirm and discuss more details, including any costs.
What is in a set?
A set of Journey of Progress has materials for up to 6 people:
- 1 guide with tips and tricks for the session;
- instructions for each player walking them through the process;
- 52 cards that prompts players to think about their vision, actions, outputs and outcomes;
- sticky notes of various size.
Would you like to play with more people? Use multiple sets to make groups and compare your results at the end of your session.
Pricing and background
The Journey of Progress was developed within the Evaluating Societal Impact project to help colleagues in academia work on their (societal) impact in a more structured way. The project was completed in 2024, which also marked the end of the project-based funding for production and further development.
Demand for the Journey of Progress has continued, both within and outside academia. We have therefore chosen to embed the Journey of Progress within Erasmus Research & Business Support (ERBS) from 2026 onwards. Within ERBS, further development, quality assurance, and sustainable production can be structurally secured. It also creates opportunities to offer guided (tailor-made) workshops.
The price is €69.96 excl. VAT per set. This listed price applies to the game only. Shipping costs are added separately after the order to ensure transparency, as customers may also choose to collect their order directly from ERBS on the Woudestein Campus of Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Facilitation and workshops
It is possible to request a guided (tailor-made) workshop for the Journey of Progress. A guided workshop often leads to better results and can form the basis for a more comprehensive Theory of Change at team, project or organisational level, including attention to assumptions, stakeholders and indicators for impact monitoring and evaluation.
These workshops are delivered by Erika Hajdu from Kolabor. Erika is one of the co-developers of the Journey of Progress, an expert in facilitating Journey of Progress sessions, and worked for EUR for many years. If Erika is unavailable, the workshop can be delivered by a colleague from EUR.
To give an impression of the possibilities, we have developed two packages. Both packages offer the opportunity to play Journey of Progress under guidance.
A short (basic) session is suitable for a quick and/or informal introduction to the concept of Theory of Change. After this session, participants will have a basic understanding of the theory and will be able to apply the game themselves. The game can also serve as a first step in developing a broader Theory of Change for a team, project or organisation.
Session duration: 60–90 minutes
Group size: 5–30 participants
Price: €529.00 excl. VAT
The plus package includes an extended session and is suitable for developing a first draft Theory of Change while also considering assumptions and/or possible indicators for practical applications (e.g. project planning or developing an evaluation plan).
Session duration: one full day; approximately 6 hours
Group size: 5–12 participants
Price: €1,817.00 excl. VAT
In addition to the two packages, we offer various tailor-made options. These may include a series of short or extended workshops or a train-the-trainer concept. Additional services can also be discussed, such as processing session results in a digital environment or a follow-up meeting including concrete next steps and recommendations. Contact us to discuss your wishes, needs and possibilities!
Price: upon request and subject to availability; hourly rate €97,75 excl. VAT
- Rates include: preparation time and facilitation by the moderator, and travel costs and travel time of the moderator (within the Randstad region).
- Rates exclude: room/venue booking and catering, and the purchase of the Journey of Progress card set (card sets for sessions can be borrowed)
- Travel expenses to and from a location outside the Randstad amount to €115.00 excl. VAT.
- Sessions delivered by Erika Hajdu are preferably in English, though participants may respond or speak in Dutch. If the full session needs to be delivered in Dutch, an additional 10% will be charged for the extra preparation time required.
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Contact
Journey of Progress was developed by the Evaluating Societal Impact strategic project with input and feedback from colleagues across Erasmus University Rotterdam and beyond.
Share your experiences, suggestions, questions and feedback via e-mail. If you have any questions about the theoretical content or background of the game, feel free to reach out to Stefan de Jong. If you have any questions about the logistics or pricing, please reach out to our ESI team.
Cite this tool
Evaluating Societal Impact (2024). Journey of Progress – Theory of Change card game. Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Physical object. https://doi.org/10.25397/eur.25311478