How we went about it
We listened to people in person and online, in one-on-one conversations and in group settings. We asked ‘What is bothering you about life in Australia right now?’ and ‘If you could wake up in the Australia of your dreams, what would it look like?’ (and extensions of each of these questions). We followed people’s lead, where did they want to take us? Sometimes down a path of understanding what they saw as the critical next steps to transform as a nation; other times describing in detail what they thought about the single topic most weighing on their minds.
Discussions ranged from 45 minutes to 4 hours. Content was captured via audio, written notes, and from the post-it notes and butchers paper in the group work. With every conversation we learned more about what a flourishing Australia would look like and about the common values we hold dear.
We listened and re-listened to the collected audio. Read and re-read the transcripts and summaries. We looked for common themes and differences, new parts of the vision and ideas that aligned with what we had heard previously in Australia reMADE (previously A24) gatherings. We sought to understand the difficult realities and fears and the beautiful dreams of everyone who spoke with us.
Drawing on the analysis, we began to write. Staying as close as possible to the precise words that people used in describing their struggles and hopes, we combined the best of previous drafts with the new ideas and simpler, more evocative language that we heard in our discussions. Slowly Australia reMADE took shape.
