Capture+your+story+(samples)

**Extracted from** http://www.kstoolkit.org/River+of+Life

‍Brief Description:[[image:http://knowledgecafe.care2share.wikispaces.net/space/showimage/riveroflife.jpg align="right" caption="external image riveroflife.jpg"]]
River of life is a visual narrative method that helps people tell stories of the last, present and future. Individuals can use this method to introduce themselves in a fun and descriptive way; a group can use it to understand and reflect on the past and imagine the future of a project; and it can be used to build a shared view compiled of different and perhaps differing perspectives. River of Life focuses on drawing rather than text, making it useful in groups that do not share a language. When used in a group, it is an active method, good for engaging people.

‍How to use:

 * For groups to look at a project, problem or opportunity:**
 * [[image:http://knowledgecafe.care2share.wikispaces.net/space/showimage/riveroflifedetail.jpg align="right" caption="external image riveroflifedetail.jpg"]]Break into small groups and ask people to think about the past, present and future of the project or issue you are addressing.
 * Ask them to draw images, or find images in magazines that represent key milestones from the past, present and those they would envision for the future. It can be useful to do this in phases, starting with the past. Then invite the present. Finally invite the future. You may wish to stop and have conversations around the image after each phase.
 * On a large piece of paper on the wall (several meters long) ask a volunteer to draw the river flowing through the paper.
 * Ask the groups to come up and place their images (with glue sticks, tape, etc.) on the paper. Encourage discussion while participants are working at the wall.
 * After the group has finished putting up images, initiate a discussion about what they see; reflect on past lessons, current situations and visions for the future.


 * For groups to chart progress through an event:**
 * Set up the river on a large wall, whiteboard or pinboard at the start of the meeting. In conversation, ask people to create and bring up images about what brought them to the meeting and what they wanted out of it when they agreed to come. Put those in the "past" part of the river.
 * During the meeting, invite people to capture key moments, learnings or questions in images and put them in the "present" part of the river.
 * Towards the end of the meeting, invite people to capture next steps or actions and put them in the 'future" part of the river.
 * Review the full river before the end of the meeting and use the future section as your follow up tool.

‍Tips and Lessons Learnt

 * People may initially be reluctant to draw, but in the end, there is often more appreciation and ownership of the drawings than the cut outs.
 * Cut outs allow images to be moved if you need to reconcile across different versions or perspectives. Drawings can be done on separate papers to facilitate this movability.
 * Take digital picture of the images to share afterwards.
 * Think creatively - this method can be used anytime there is a timeline involved.

‍More Information/References/Related Resources:

 * [|River of Life Method story from KM4Dev 2006 Brighton workshop]
 * [|River of Life in a health care setting]
 * More pictures of examples of [|River of Life drawings] and a [|report on its use]
 * Save Stories, Photos, and Videos on a Collaborative Timeline []
 * A River of Life How-to session at the Share Fair in Rome, 2011: []