Ecosystem Op-Ed blog posts present creative new ideas and visions for the feedback field. They weave together evidence, theory, and lessons learned by the feedback community to discuss current issues in a thoughtful and accessible way. If you would like to suggest a topic for an op-ed or write a guest piece, please reach out to us at info@feedbacklabs.org

3TT: Questions, Not Plans

Feedback in Action, Guest Posts

In today’s complex world strategy needs to be built around questions, not plans. Plans are fine when you already have all the answers and it’s just a matter of organizing resources to execute. But we do not have answers for many of the complex questions we face in aid and philanthropy. Closing feedback loops means accepting we do not have all the answers. And to do that, we need new approaches.

3TT: Tension in the Field

Feedback in Action, Guest Posts

Market development programmes operate in highly complex environments. This isn’t new insight. We spend countless hours and resources analyzing markets. We attempt to create systemic change through behaviour change. We meticulously monitor our progress and (usually, always) prematurely demand results. We acknowledge the need to experiment – to learn better about what is happening ‘on the ground’ and adapt our interventions accordingly.

Just breathe

Ecosystem Op-Eds

A few weeks ago, the Olympic swimming heats were playing on the TV in the lunchroom of the OpenGov Hub. I walked past to get something from my desk and on my way back realized, to my mild consternation, that in the seconds it had taken me to walk to and from my desk, a distance of no more than 10 feet, the lead swimmer had swum more than 50.