More data does not always bring deeper insights, and the confusion between having good information, making a good decision, and taking the best action creates more folly than foresight. A strategy is a narrative about what you do, how you (intend to) do it, and what you expect to accomplish. Analytics are a way to …
Design and Design Thinking are foundational pathways to change-making and innovation. How do we know what we’ve created is doing what we think it is and whether it’s making a positive difference? Design and Design Thinking comprise the bedrock of good innovation. Design is the intentional creation of things to serve a purpose, and like …
The wise Jedi master Yoda was famous for one quote that illustrates a truth about effort and impact that neglects something critical for innovation. Do. Or do not. There is no try Yoda The words of Yoda, the mythical Jedi master from the Star Wars Universe, are often quoted as the truth about converting action …
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In my previous post, I wrote about using metrics that are as much about reflecting width (joy, quality) as length (longevity, quantitative performance). In this post, I look at how that applies to organizations. I’ve encountered relatively few organizations that are driven — if they are being honest — by quality, depth, and richness as …
There’s something that happens when you spend enough time working in a field that fosters true wisdom. When you’ve had the chance to see the fruits of your labour and the cycles and patterns of your domain of practice, the best metrics emerge. I didn’t appreciate the wisdom of experience enough when I was younger. …
If you design or evaluate things, why not share what you know with people who design and evaluate things for a living? I believe designers and evaluators need to talk more. I’ve argued that the conversation between design and evaluation is worth having. As both a professional designer and evaluator, my work is a reflection …
My first in-person conference in almost three years yielded surprises, disappointments, and the expected awkwardness. This time of year is usually conference season. October and November are typically big for conferences (much like May and June). This year I ventured out and attended my first in-person conference since 2019: The American Evaluation Association conference in …
The story of learning through conferences and Twitter intertwines in a story that might be coming to an end for both. To say there’s a lot of change in the air is both cliche and an understatement in November 2022. Of the many notable changes, two of them are of particular importance to me this …
In this final installment on Principles Focused Evaluation, we look at how to connect our data with our designs. If I have principles and don’t follow them, do I have them at all? This question is something that Principles Focused Evaluation can help us to answer. It’s at the core of our work. The vehicle …
Principled or values-driven approaches to strategy only have value when we can put them into practice. In this latest post in our series on Principles-Focused Evaluation, we look at the nuts and bolts of putting principles into practice. It is a lot easier to speak of principles and values than to live by them. I …
