4.6: Action Star

Note

The Beautiful Trouble toolbox, an interconnected web of ideas and creative best practices that puts the power in your hands. In this article, the author Andrew Boyd helps you to develop a strategy for a campaign by thinking through differnt aspects of an action.

A checklist of 8 key factors for planning & evaluating actions

Sometimes, swept up by outrage or excitement, we leap into action without much forethought or care. If we’re lucky, it all works out. But we’re much more likely to win if we thoughtfully choose tactics and stage actions that not only advance a larger campaign strategy, but also take into account the art and science of successful action design.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Copy and Paste Caption here. (Copyright; Jonathan Matthew Smucker via Beautiful Trouble) Alternative text description.

The action star tool is a great place to start. It helps you evaluate, refine and plan your action by asking you a series of key questions, including: Who or what is the political target of our action — and why? How is our action designed to pressure this target? 

Action Star

The image is titled Action Star: a tool for planning and evaluating actions, contributed by Jonathan Matthew Smucker, part of Beautiful Trouble. At the center is a circle labeled “Action.” Surrounding it are eight triangular points, each with guiding questions:

1. Target: Who or what is the political target of our action? Why? If they have the power to concede to our demands, how is our action designed to pressure them? Will our action cost them something (or threaten to cost something)? Will it put them in a decision dilemma where we win no matter which way they respond?
2. Points of Intervention: In what arena are we intervening—the point of production (e.g. a workplace), destruction (e.g. an oil pipeline), consumption (e.g. a store), decision (e.g. the statehouse), or assumption (e.g. dominant beliefs and narratives)?
3. Spectrum of Allies: How will our action activate passive allies, win over currently on-the-fence potential allies, and isolate our opposition? Which specific constituencies do we want to prioritize?
4. Audience: Who is our priority audience and what message do we want to send them? What kind of presentation and tone (e.g. solemn, jubilant, angry, etc.) will be most effective?
5. Story: How are we strategically narrating and framing the conflict? Is there a villain in our story? Are we putting forward our own sympathetic characters as protagonists? Are we foreshadowing our desired outcome?
6. Values & Common Ground: Are we connecting with people’s values—especially the values of our intended audience—and appealing to their common sense? What kinds of popular images and symbols are we including in our action and messaging?
7. Action Logic: Does the action itself tell the story and convey our intended message? Will passersby intuitively “get it” without us having to say anything at all?
8. Building & Tending the Group: Will the action build our group’s capacity? Will it generate new interest and help plug new people in? How can we use the planning process to build more group members’ leadership and skills? Are we adequately supporting each other as we make sacrifices and take risks together?

Here are some questions to think about:

• At what vulnerable pressure-point are we intervening — and why? 
• How will our action impact potential allies?
• Who is our key audience, and what is our message to them? What story does our action tell? 
• Are we connecting to people’s values and common sense? 
• Does our action have an obvious logic to the outside eye? 
• Are we taking care of each other and building our group’s capacity?

Activity \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Take the issue you chose for the “picking an issue” activity. 

Then answer the following questions for that issue. 

Really think about what would make a good action and why. 

Try to think strategically!

1. Name your campaign
2. Target: Who or what is the political target of our action and why? How is your action designed to pressure them? Will it threaten to or cost them something? Will it put them in a decision dilemma where you win no matter which way they respond? For example they are in a situation where they need to give you what you want or they will end up with bad publicity, which will strengthen your campaign.   
3. Research: What information will you need to understand and do research on to succeed in your campaign.  
4. Allies: How will your action activate passive allies, win over potential allies, and isolate your opposition? Which specific constituencies do you want to prioritize?
5. Audience and Message: Who is your priority audience and what message do you want to send them? What kind of presentation and tone (solemn, jubilant, angry, etc.) will be most effective?
6. Story: How are you strategically narrating and framing the story? Is there a villain in your story? Are you putting forward your own sympathetic characters as protagonists? Are you foreshadowing your desired outcome?
7. Values and Common Ground: Are you connecting with people’s values—especially those of your intended audience—and appealing to their common sense? What kinds of popular images and symbols are you including in your action and messaging?
8. Action Logic: Does the action itself tell the story and convey your intended message? Will a passerby intuitively “get it” without you having to say anything at all?
9. Building the Group: Will the action build your group’s capacity? Will it generate new interest and help plug new people in? Are you adequately supporting each other as you make sacrifices and take risks together?

Attributions

from Andrew Boyd also beautiful Trouble https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/action-sta