We train and equip practitioners and policymakers around the world with the tools and resources to solve complex public problems.
We offer a combination of both online and in-person learning, as well as applied action learning – where the concepts are then turned into practice. The iterative experimentation, structured learning, and adaptation in PDIA empowers action by local people, facilitates emergence of local solutions, and creates new capabilities to solve problems.
Executive Programs
We offer government officials and executives from the public and private sector an opportunity to learn about our tools and approaches.
Implementing Public Policy
HKS Executive Education
IPP is designed to equip policymakers with both the skills to analyze policies, as well as the tools and tactics to successfully implement them.
Leading Economic Growth
HKS Executive education
LEG examines new approaches to rethink economic strategies and build organizations that are capable of unlocking new prosperity.
Collaboration Track
bloomberg harvard Executive Program
This program imparts cross-sector city teams with know-how, catalyzes team-building, encourages progress on challenges, and transfers learning.
Degree Programs
We teach HKS students in two masters courses: Getting Things Done: Management in a Development Context (a core course for the Master in Public Administration in International Development students) and PDIA in Action: Development Through Facilitated Emergence (an elective course).
degree Programs
PDIA in Action
In this field-lab class, taught by Matt Andrews and Salimah Samji, students learn a research-oriented version of PDIA by working on public problems – they learn by doing.
Past Online Programs
We offered our first free online course in 2015 to address the increasing demand for the PDIA approach to solving complex development problems.
online program
The Practice of PDIA
From November 2015 to June 2019, more than twelve-hundred development practitioners in 87 countries successfully completed 10 PDIA online courses.
“Every element of the IPP course was so well put together and practical that frankly, I use different parts and pieces of the course, if not daily, then definitely weekly in my work…I would say that spending the time with your team on really defining the problem you’re working on is really worth the time and energy you invest into it.”
Olga Yulikova
Implementing Public Policy 2019