Transformative change in complex systems requires a flexible and iterative approach with teams of people with different skills, ideas, and authority to work together.
Project Team
Matt Andrews, Salimah Samji, and Mayra Hoyos (2022), Kriti Chopra (2023), Mannat Singh (2024)
September 2022 – March 2025
BSC has led three PDIA online action learning programs for The Voice Inc, a Papua New Guinean organization delivering its Australian Government supported Local Leadership & Collective Action Program, to build the capability of local leaders to create broad coalitions for change.
The goal of the program is to build the capability of local leadership to engage in collective action as they learned how to address and solve problems, in teams, through action-oriented work.
Cohort 3: August – November 2024
In August 2024, Matt Andrews traveled to Papua New Guinea for the kickoff workshop. Read the TVI press release to learn more about this trip. 31 development leaders across 6 teams participated in the third PDIA program. The teams included 4-6 members from TVI, government, NGOs, private sector, and the Catholic Church. Over a period of twelve weeks, they constructed and deconstructed complex problems, and found entry points to take action. While doing so, they learnt the importance of engaging with diverse stakeholders, gaining authorization, and iterating throughout the process to keep moving forward.
The teams worked on the following problems:
- Increase in Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV)
- Poor coordination in Gender Based Violence (GBV) referral pathway
- Ineffective and inefficient youth councils
- Low youth participation in agribusiness opportunities
- Lack of integrity in public procurement systems and processes
- Prevalence of disengaged youth
Cohort 2: August – December 2023
In August 2023, we began to work with a second cohort of 36 development leaders across 8 teams participated in the PDIA program. Over the period of twelve weeks, they learned the following skills: leadership, communication, working in teams, authorization, time management, and how to solve complex problems.
The teams worked on the following problems:
- Youth unemployment and limited participation in labour mobility programs
- Empowering youth through art
- Taxation
- Increased use and abuse of illegal substances by youth
- Sorcery accusation related violence
- Lack of monitoring of the capital investment budget
- ECE education
- Early childhood literacy
Cohort 1: September – December 2022
In September 2022, 31 development leaders across 6 teams participated in the PDIA program. The teams included 4-6 members from TVI, government, NGOs, private sector, and the Catholic Church. Over the period of twelve weeks, they learned the following skills: leadership, communication, working in teams, authorization, time management, and how to solve complex problems.
The teams worked on the following problems:
- Youth unemployment
- Increased use and abuse of illegal substances by youth
- Quality of education in both elementary and higher education
- Decentralization
- Sorcery accusation related violence
Program Feedback
98%
Rated the overall program as very/extremely useful.
100%
Found it professionally as well as personally useful.
Participant Testimonials
“The PDIA course has provided an excellent way to approach real-life complex problems with innovative and pragmatic steps.”
“The PDIA course is a hands-on, practical learning experience that shifts traditional problem-solving approaches toward a more adaptive, flexible, and collaborative model. Participants emerge with a toolkit to tackle complex issues by breaking down problems, adapting solutions to their context, iterating and learning from experiments, and working collaboratively. Ultimately, PDIA prepares participants to lead effective change in complex and dynamic environments, equipping them to drive sustainable impact where predefined solutions may fall short.”
Program-Related Blogs
Program Photos
