The Constant (Innovation) Gardener
A gardener’s mindframe is what distinguishes a true innovator from the rest. We look at four qualities which show how.
developmental evaluation
Systems Thinking About Time and Motion
In changing times its important to recognize both the words change and time if we want to understand systems. On a social and economic level we’ve never seen more transformation of everyday life come or affect systems as we have with the global COVID-19 pandemic. What it provides us is an opportunity to learn, contemplate, …
Design for Chaos
Massive change often prompts fear, confusion, and a sense of chaos. How we manage and mitigate this is all about the right design choices. At the time of this writing we are seeing entire countries being quarantined along with thousands of people on cruise ships, sporting events being played to empty arenas, and large planned …
Here to There: Navigating Through the Unknown
VIsionary evaluation is about putting data to our principles and actions and seeing where we’ve come from and where we’re going at the same time. This article explores what it is and what we need to do.
Designing Mental Models
Thoughts of changing our world won’t yield much without examining our mental models. That means designing for how we think, not just what we think. When looking to generate some kind of major systems change — whether that’s your own life, that of your organizations’ , or social change — understanding the layers of activity …
Change Stumbling
Change-making requires accepting some degree of failure. How we deal with our stumbles determines how or whether we succeed. If you’re reading this in early January (or maybe the weeks after your birthday or some other significant anniversary) you might find yourself head-long into a struggle to implement some change-making plan. This might be a …
Amplification and Impact
Transformations are easier to understand retrospectively, not in real time. New technologies are about to upend that, forever. It is often difficult to fully appreciate transformation in the middle of it. Most of us might have been ‘wowed’ by the Internet when it came out, but it’s only looking back that we realized how much …
Big Changes Through Small Actions
Our consumption habits will kill our planet if we let it. Small actions, done often, can change our future course. Shopping is big business. It’s also helping our planet. Today is Black Friday, which is shaping up to be the largest shopping day of the year in the United States and Canada. In Canada, this …
What is Evaluation For?
Evaluation is the longest four-letter word in the English language. Kidding aside, what is evaluation? Why should we all care? Evaluators are an existential bunch, which might surprise you. Evaluation is not a popular word with people. Too often it’s associated with things that are done to us not with us or for us or …
What Does Developmental Evaluation Look Like?
Developmental Evaluation is all about using data to support innovation. How does this look in practice (and how’s it done?) Developmental Evaluation (DE) is all about supporting and developing innovation. It provides some of the raw feedback materials and a process to help innovators make decisions about what they are creating, adapting to changing conditions, …