Preparing for Inspiration Visits

Overview

In this step, you will prepare to guide school and district teams through an inspiration visit—either virtual or in-person. This is a pivotal moment in the design journey: a chance for teams to explore what’s possible, see the XQ Design Principles in action, and gather fresh ideas. A well-facilitated visit helps teams move beyond admiration to application—building clarity, conviction, and inspiration for their own redesign.
This step ensures facilitators are ready to anchor the experience in the team’s core design questions and transformation goals, while supporting joyful exploration and rigorous synthesis.

Outputs
  • Inspiration visit logistics finalized (agenda, tech, host coordination)
  • Customized Inspiration Visit Template aligned to team’s central question or theme
  • Synthesized team reflections from the visit documented in the Design Journey Notebook

Goal
Ensure school teams experience a powerful, purpose-driven inspiration visit—one that brings XQ Design Principles to life and helps them capture insights that will shape their Bold School Concept.

Owner(s)
Facilitation partner

Contributor(s)
Operations partner,
school team lead,
district transformation team

Resources

Inspiration Visit Guidance
A planning guide with example agendas and facilitation tips

Virtual Inspiration Visit Template
A customizable note catcher for team reflections

Transcend Models Exchange
A curated gallery of innovative school models

Education Reimagined Map
A map of learner-centered schools nationwide

Putting It Into Practice

1

Understand the team’s purpose:

  • Review the school team’s emerging Case for Change and Design Principles reflections from Design Experience 1.
  • Clarify the purpose of the visit with the School Team and/or District Transformation Lead: What does the team need to see? Where are they feeling stuck or unsure? What kind of inspiration might move their work forward?
2

Curate and contextualize the visit:

  • Coach the District Transformation Team to select a visit site that aligns with their learning goals. Use the Transcend Models Exchange or Education Reimagined Map for ideas.
  • Support logistical planning: Schedule the visit, connect with the host site, and clarify roles.
  • Collect and share relevant pre-visit materials (e.g., videos, student schedules, model snapshots) to help teams arrive with context.
3

Customize the experience:

  • Coach the district team to tailor the Inspiration Visit Template to reflect the team’s specific theme.
  • Prepare your own or the district team’s facilitation moves: What questions will you ask to push reflection? How will you make space for both wonder and critique?
4

Support the team to facilitate with purpose:

  • Anchor the team in key mindsets:
    • Think like a designer, not a consumer.
    • Push beyond the literal.
    • Embrace curiosity and surprise.
  • During the visit, model reflective questioning. Encourage team members to note what aligns with their Design Principles and what might be adapted or remixed.
5

Lead or support the debrief session:

  • Use the Inspiration Visit Note Catcher in the Design Journey Notebook to guide the team’s reflection.
  • Prompt them to synthesize insights, name implications for their design, and surface new questions.
  • Ensure key takeaways are added to the Design Journey Notebook and flagged for inclusion in the Design Experience 2 Synthesis Poster.
Go to Next Step
Preparing for Design Experience 2
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