This workshop introduces Power to Praxis: Reflection Cards for Decolonial Design, a structured approach to examining how power, relationships, and institutional dynamics shape our work across the project cycle.

Projects are never neutral or purely technical. They are shaped by funding priorities, organisational pressures, partnership structures, and historical power relationships. These forces influence whose knowledge counts, how decisions are made, and who ultimately benefits.

This session creates space to pause and reflect on these dynamics through guided exercises, small group dialogue, and practical application.

Using the Power to Praxis cards, participants will:

explore how power and positionality shape project design
examine assumptions and decision-making processes
reflect on participation, accountability, and partnership in practice
identify small, practical shifts to strengthen more ethical and accountable work

The workshop follows the Power to Praxis Cycle:

Grounding – locating ourselves in the work
Bridge – making sense of power and patterns together
Method – identifying shifts in practice
Praxis – sustaining reflection and action over time

Agenda

Session	Outline of Content
Opening and Check-In	Welcome, introductions and participant check-in. Participants briefly share what brought them to the session and what they hope to gain.
Introduction to Power to Praxis cards	Overview of the Power to Praxis framework and reflection cards. Introduction to reflexive praxis and the influence of institutional power, funding structures and professional cultures on projects.
Locating Ourselves in the Work	Guided reflection using the Companion Guide locating exercise. Participants consider how institutional roles, funding and partnerships shape their work and decision making.
Card Reflection and Small Group Dialogue	Participants explore the Pre-Project cards, selecting one question that resonates, challenges or sparks curiosity about their work. Table conversations exploring assumptions, priorities and power dynamics shaping project design and justification.
Transition to Session 2	Whole group reflection and introduction to the next stage of the project cycle.
Reconnecting	Brief reconnection and reflections from Session 1. Introduction to exploring power dynamics during project design and implementation.
Card Dialogue	Participants explore Pre-Engagement and Implementation cards in small groups, reflecting on participation, accountability and decision making in practice.
Collective Sense-Making	Groups identify patterns and insights from discussions about power, participation and institutional constraints across projects.
From Reflection to Practice	Using Commitment cards, groups identify practical shifts that could strengthen reflexive and accountable practice.
Closing Reflection	Individual reflection and shared commitments to praxis. Participants identify key insights and potential shifts in their work.

This is a reflective, dialogue-based session designed for practitioners working in development, humanitarian, community, research, or social impact contexts.

Contact the host of Power to Praxis: A Reflexive Practice Workshop for Decolonial Design