Harvard University homepage
HARVARD.EDU

Blog

Case: Finding Entry Points for a Recycling Problem

  • Publication date November 4, 2024
Sorted recycling

In the city of Blueville, after understanding their recycling problem through the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) process, the team faced a new challenge: the mayor requested a six-month action plan focused on quick and effective problem-solving. While the timeline seemed daunting given the complexity of the recycling issue, their coach encouraged an adaptive strategy emphasizing…Continue Reading Case: Finding Entry Points for a Recycling Problem

Supporting Collective Action and Reform Coalitions in PNG: Trust is Critical

  • Publication date November 1, 2024
The Voice Inc leadership

Guest blog by Barbara Thomas, Maliwai Sasingian, & Kirk Gibson  In January 2024, the Black Wednesday riots shook Papua New Guinea (PNG). Local thinkers highlight these as acts of desperation, driven by underlying causes including unemployment and the increasing cost of living. But governments alone cannot solve the complex problems that drive these events. Citizens, civil…Continue Reading Supporting Collective Action and Reform Coalitions in PNG: Trust is Critical

Podcast: Building Effective Teams with Monica Higgins

  • Publication date October 30, 2024
An effective team works together

Implementing public policy and solving complex development problems requires working in teams, but working in a collaborative way often creates significant challenges. In conversation with Building State Capability, Harvard Graduate School of Education Professor Monica Higgins shares critical insights on how to build and manage an effective team. Instead of viewing teams as simply a…Continue Reading Podcast: Building Effective Teams with Monica Higgins

Event: Motivation and Purpose in the Public Sector

  • Publication date October 14, 2024
Dan Honig headshot

On Monday, October 28th, we co-hosted a seminar with The People Lab featuring Dan Honig, BSC Associate, Associate Professor at Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy and University College London in conversation with Elizabeth Linos, Emma Bloomberg Associate Professor of Public Policy and Management at Harvard Kennedy School. In this talk, Dan Honig discusses the…Continue Reading Event: Motivation and Purpose in the Public Sector

Exploring the lack of access to revenue in Wyoming

  • Publication date October 9, 2024
Revenue Growth

Guest blog by Tom Brauer, Justin D. Farley, Amber Pollock In Wyoming, much like throughout the United States, communities lack access to revenue and control of the revenue-raising mechanisms needed to self-determine their future. Over the past 12 weeks, The Wild Optimists have been immersed in the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) course, where we’ve grown…Continue Reading Exploring the lack of access to revenue in Wyoming

Addressing Behavioral Health in Casper, Wyoming: A Community-Driven Approach Using PDIA 

  • Publication date September 20, 2024
Two people's heads, each with a string. One is tangled representing poor behavioral health.

Guest blog by Tina A. Hoebelheinrich, Anna Kinder, Sabrina Kemper The Wyoming Business Council recently convened a diverse group of community leaders to address a pressing issue using the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) framework. This powerful approach, which empowers communities to tackle complex problems by breaking them into manageable components, was the perfect fit for…Continue Reading Addressing Behavioral Health in Casper, Wyoming: A Community-Driven Approach Using PDIA