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 »
Spending time designing a health system that is entirely hypothetical can provide insight into how we shape the health systems we have in ways we wouldn’t have otherwise. Theoretical exercises aren’t usually top of the list of what most leaders want to spend time doing. That presupposition might require some qualification. Let’s start with a
Why Imagine A Health System? 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 »
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 »
Complexity is a word we hear more and more. Understanding what it means in practice can help us navigate it with greater confidence. What do we mean we talk about complexity? It’s everywhere living systems reside, yet it’s also a deeply misunderstood or even mysterious subject. There is an entire field of study that looks
What We Talk About When We Talk About Complexity Read More »
Earth Day allows us to reflect upon the opportunities and challenges healthcare faces when dealing with its environmental responsibilities. Will it rise to meet them? This is Earth Day. It’s when we consider the health of the planet alongside our life on this planet. For healthcare, an environment of its own, the opportunity to bring
Healthcare’s Earth Day Challenge Read More »
If you’re stuck in the daily grind of human services delivery, leveraging evaluation data can help you see and chart your progress. Among the most difficult things healthcare and human services professionals deal with is progress. Whether you’re an ER nurse, a front-line social worker, or a palliative care doctor, seeing progress is something that
Monitoring as Motivator: Harnessing the Progress Principle Read More »
The famous Dutch cycling culture didn’t always exist; it was designed. A look at how this came to pass can help us to understand what it means to transform culture and keep it healthy. There are lessons to be learned whether you’re building a bike culture or transforming your organization. If you think of life
Unlocking Organizational Change: Learning from the Cultural Phenomenon of Dutch Cycling Read More »
What happens when the global pandemic gets forgotten, and our organizations, communities and bodies still remember? How might we design institutions that help us recover from what’s happened and thrive in what’s to come? The World Health Organization is meeting this week to discuss whether the emergency phase of the global COVID-19 pandemic response is
What Design For Recovery Might Look Like Read More »
