Virtual Cynefin® Basecamp (English)

Four 3-hour virtually facilitated sessions.
Minimum participant requirement: 12

Maximum participant limit: 25

Meeting environments: Zoom.us; Google Slides / Docs; ConceptBoard

Course pre-work and in-between session study: Video lectures, reading (instructor / geography dependent)

Instructional language: English

Participants will:

• Have an immersive experience of a complex facilitation and sense-making process
• Explore the challenges of managing, leading and taking action in complex human systems
• Play in the phase-shift from ordered to complex contexts and paradigms
• Add new approaches to respond to uncertainty and complexity to your toolkit
• Enhance their ability to contextualise issues and therefore to respond appropriately
• Understand constraints and how we can manage them to influence change
• Experience core Cynefin methods and tools to apply in thinking, decision-making and leadership
• Understand the basics of a complexity-appropriate approach to strategy, forecasting and decision making

The methods and concepts learned and practiced in this course are applicable –

1. to strategy, decision-making and leadership/management under conditions of uncertainty,
2. for helping teams see differences between their perspectives and to gain a better understanding of their complex challenges
3. in meeting or workshop environments tackling complex issues such as organisational change, culture, innovation, leadership development, and others; and,
4. to the diverse professional and personal current challenges presented by participants.

This virtual course offers an enhanced interactive online learning environment, where a cohort of attendees from diverse backgrounds embark on a shared learning journey about how to apply Cynefin® and related methods in their organizations.

This course is designed for people who work in constantly evolving, dynamic situations, dealing daily with uncertainty and risk, and looking for an enhanced compass to lead, manage and build teams and organisations that are both resilient and innovative. Whether you work in an organisation navigating intractable problems or are a consultant looking to include complexity principles into your practice – or if you are simply complexity-curious – this Virtual Cynefin® Basecamp class is for you.

Michael Cheveldave (Canada) 


Languages: English


With 15 years of experience in applying the Cynefin framework and SenseMaker®, Michael has developed an ability to communicate the practice of complexity theory in a way that audiences can quickly relate to and apply. Working across the private and public sectors in Canada, USA, UK, The Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, Denmark, Brazil, and Russia his engagement experiences  have included: 

• culture mapping for employee engagement, safety, and mergers & acquisitions

• in-person and virtual large-group complex facilitation applying Cynefin and related methods

• mass-capture of micro-scenarios for strategy development

• narrative market research, customer insight gathering, change monitoring, and program evaluation

Michael has a B. Eng. degree from the University of Victoria and a Knowledge Management Certificate from Royal Roads University.  Michael makes his home in rural British Columbia, Canada with his family nearby to some of the world’s best downhill skiing!

Ian Macdonald (Brazil)

Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish

With over 20 years of experience, Ian has worked in areas of entrepreneurship, communication, leadership development and strategy. His experience encompasses several creative specialties such as advertising, photography and design and since 2014 consulting and facilitating the development of individuals and their teams in highly complex systems. 

He is currently a bi-lingual executive coach, consultant and facilitator for Cognitive Edge based in Brazil but attending to a wide range of individual students, governments and corporate organisations from varying sectors and sizes in Latin America, USA, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. Ian co-facilitates the design and implementation of SenseMaker® projects, Cynefin training courses and the digital facilitation of Cognitive Edge Master Classes and Retreats.

Ian has a Bachelor of Science from the University of London and his home is Sao Paulo, Brazil with his wife and two kids. Outside of work, Ian can be found creating new things in the kitchen or his carpentry workshop.

Voluntary cancellations by registrants are permitted at any time prior to the course start and a refund for the amount paid will be provided less a 10% refund processing fee. Substitutions are permitted at any time as well as rescheduling attendance to an alternate session within a year of the original course start date. Substitutions and/or rescheduling of courses for discounted tickets may be subject to rescheduling restrictions and/or fee supplements.

Cognitive Edge reserves the right to cancel or re-schedule training sessions. In the event of cancellation or rescheduling, a registered attendee can request a full refund of course fees. Refunds will be processed within ten (10) business days of refund requests.