Among the many definitions of health, few describe how we create and relate to it within a dynamic world, leaving us with models that put the onus on individuals, not systems. That requires change. This is one of many “thinking through writing” posts that I’ll be publishing as I journey through how I see design […]
Designing and Defining Health Contexts: A Start Read More »
Preparedness and strategy need to be fit for purpose. This article looks at a recent event in Finland that parallels COVID-19 and illustrates how we need to think of health systems strategy as a dynamic, complexity-ready process, not a static plan.
Seeing What Isn’t Seen: Strategy in Complexity Read More »
The myriad layers of social, political, economic, and climate change are thrusting upon us new ways to learn, to live and to do both with complexity. These are days where even the most unique phrases developed for them seem insufficient. Entanglements, confusion, and uncertainty are all words that are being used describe what the world
To Live and Learn With Complexity Read More »
Separating out strategy, evaluation and service design in human services comes from old thinking that produces few benefits for the organization and make-work for consultants. There is a better way. We do a lot of silly things out of habit. Somewhere along the route toward the establishment of a professional management culture, we started separating
Strategic Design and Consultants Read More »
As human systems grow increasingly complex, the need for learning and adaptation intensifies. Design-driven evaluation (DDE) merges design thinking with evaluation to enhance accountability and impact. By embedding evaluation within programs and prioritizing user feedback, DDE fosters continuous learning, enabling organizations to effectively navigate change and drive sustainable innovation.
Design-Driven Evaluation and Strategic Design Read More »
In this latest in our series on strategic design in complex times, we look at the ways in which design methods, tools, and thinking can shape systems and channel our intentions. This is strategic design. For more information, check out the earlier posts on complexity, strategy and introductions to strategic design. The aim is to
Strategic Design: Bridging Complexity, Planning, & Evaluation for Impact Read More »
In the previous post, we looked at what complexity is and left with a metaphor of sailing to describe the ways in which we can understand complexity. In this post, we look at how to navigate complexity and ask: what does that mean for what we do and how we do it? Complexity is a
Navigating Complexity: Using Strategic Design Read More »
Space shapes systems, so systems change requires we understand space. In this post, I’m going to use two contexts to illustrate why and how settings affect so much of our lives and why any systems change must account for them if we are to be successful. Take two examples: education, and healthcare. In an educational
Design, Systems and The Settings That Influence Us Read More »
Most of us have not seen a rhinoceros in the wild. We might have seen a rhino at the zoo and maybe on television. Only a few of us who live outside Africa have been fortunate enought to see one of these beautiful creatures in its natural habitat. Imagine we’d never seen a rhinoceros in
Rhinoceros In The Wild: System Models and Reality Read More »
When undertaking strategic planning for organizations operating in the complex space of health and human services, how do you account for creating meaningful ways to learn and adapt? Developmental Evaluation is how. Developmental Evaluation is a means to provide evaluative insight to guide the evolution of your program, but did you know it can be
Developmental Evaluation and Strategy Read More »
