Winnable issues: Pipeline Workflow

How to scope, propose, and deliver a winnable issue

Step 1. Community Listening

Ask the Circle:

• What issues do you see around you?

• Who needs help? What can be improved?

• What behaviour must change?

• What is missing today?

Step 2. Cut the Issue

Choose a narrow, winnable target that targets part of the larger problem

Example transformations:

High Level Issue	Winnable Version
Isolation amongst domestic violence survivors	Set up a safe communication channel for the survivor community
Dirty streets	Organise a trash cleanup day
Youth unemployment	Fundraise for a school’s IT department to improve the students' employability
Food insecurity	Set up a food bank
Digital exclusion of older population	Run in-person digital literacy sessions

Step 3. Circle x local community Co-Design

Winnable issues must be owned by the community.

Required elements:

• Local partners - who is already working on this and how can we support or learn from them?

• Frontline validation - have the people directly affected validated that this is actually useful?

• Small pilot group - bring together a small group of benefactors

• Emotional resonance - do the Circle members really care about this issue and are continuing to volunteer, or is motivation fizzling out?

Step 4. Prototype Using Circle Capabilities

Circles should act as enablers, not top-down builders.

Core Principle:

Build With, Not For

Traditional development builds solutions for users.

Circle-based prototyping builds tools with participants, where:

• The community shapes functionality

• The problem definition can evolve

• Feedback directly influences iteration

• Ownership remains local

The Circle’s role is to ideate, facilitate, coordinate, and provide infrastructure - not to centralise control.

In this step, you should create a shareable artefact:

In line with showcase-driven development, a prototype should produce something visible:

• A working tool

• A measurable improvement

• A documented process

• A public demonstration of impact

This artefact becomes:

• Proof of concept

• Recruitment material

• Strategic leverage for future campaigns

Step 5. Impact Signal (Critical Success Metric)

Do not build complex dashboards. Pick two to three metrics only.

Suggested signals:

• Active participants

• Successful help requests routed

• Community actions executed

• Behaviour change indicators

• Local adoption growth

If your winnable issue requires a technical solution, please refer to the Logos technical project management guide for support