Skip main navigation

Changing Our Regular Routines

In this article, learn about how the theory of change toolkit works, and practice using it.
Orange sign hung up on the side of a building saying 'Let's Change' next to a stoplight

After absorbing the new thinking and ideas presented in this course, you might want to make a commitment about how you will change your routines.

Your plan will be highly personal and context-dependent. We are all in different places (literally) with different resources at our disposal. So don’t compare your journey with others. Be compassionate and supportive.

Making plans can keep you on track and help you be accountable to yourself. It can also be rewarding when we see what we have done and what we have achieved. It can help to clarify your priorities by defining your goals and the path to reach them. Don’t worry if it doesn’t run exactly as planned, it’s just a tool, it’s not written in stone.

One of the key things to address is each of our own assumptions. We covered assumptions in Week 1 of this course, in case you need to revisit the topic. That is what we accept as true or as certain to happen, without proof. Assumptions can be helpful, when we need to go with our gut, or our instinct, but they can also lead to errors in decision-making by clouding our judgment, mixing up facts with opinions.

Try to identify when something is true or when it’s an assumption. If you find out it’s an assumption – investigate and test your assumptions with some evidence to see if it’s also true.

Let’s discuss the Theory of Change Toolkit. The Theory of Change Toolkit was developed by Nesta, an innovation foundation, who brings bold ideas to life to change the world for good. The toolkit is available to download below. Walking through this toolkit can help you to spot potential risks to your plan by prompting you to identify underlying assumptions of your own, or of others. It will also help you to identify practical steps to make changes.

Watch this video to learn how to complete the Theory of Change Toolkit:

This is an additional video, hosted on YouTube.

You’ll find there can be many uses for The Theory of Change toolkit that you can use as you continue this course and into the future, including aligning team members or partners to work together towards a larger end goal. We hope you enjoy this activity of self-discovery and you are encouraged to share whatever you feel comfortable with your fellow learners in the comments below. Take care.

Over to You

Download the Theory of Change toolkit below. For this activity, let’s focus on clarifying our priorities when it comes to sustainable fashion. Follow the instructions in the video with the map below. When finished, share your top priority and your thoughts on the Theory of Change with your fellow learners in the comments below.

© The New School
This article is from the free online

Key Concepts of Sustainable Fashion

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now