Hautū Waka
- Baruk Jacob
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 26
Over the years, the Hautū Waka design process has become my go-to for a variety of design projects, particularly when I am trying to find my way in uncertain, unclear, complex contexts. I have used it to update a User Research Process, create a school holiday programme for a Alternative Education centre, and am currently using it to hold my PhD. There are many things I love about this process—here are three:
The narrative does the work. At heart, the process is a narrative, of journeying from one place to another, finding one's way through uncertain seas. Even when teams don't know or forget the stages/states of the process, the narrative helps them decide how to move, helps them communicate where they are and need to be, helps them look for signs to help them find their way. While seafaring is less common than it used to be, most people have a sense of journeying, and can apply the tool even when the detail is missing.
Each stage is a decision point. In a journey, we understand that each stage of the journey is a decision point. If we encounter trouble, we may choose to bash on through, may choose to find a way around, or may even choose to return home. None of these are choices are 'right' or 'wrong'—they are just choices we make. Making this visual in the process helps teams make these choices, and consider the options they are taking.
The point is to reach The Good Place. Sometimes the goal/outcome we reach isn't what we hoped for, or isn't as good as we hoped for. If we have a clear sense of what 'good' is, Hautū Waka helps teams take the decision—is this place we have reached the place we want to stop? Do we need to continue moving? If you need food, fresh water and a lookout point from the island you are sailing for, but when you reach realise that it has only two of the three...what do you do? You could decide to keep going—while you've reached your goal, it isn't 'the good place'.
I can go on about Hautū Waka for days, but might let you do your own exploration! At the top of this page is a free download (A3). On one side is the process, on the other (generic) questions I use at each stage. If you'd like to apply this to your specific context, reach out, I'd love to chat.
Also, the way I use Hautū Waka is in a (heh) slightly shallow, very designer-ly way. Roimata and Ayla (who first got this from Matua Rereata Makiaha) use it in a much deeper, spiritual way. If this interests you, look at the Hautū Waka resources at the Co-Design Lab.
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