Author name: cense

Learning in Complex Contexts with Design-Driven Evaluation

Complexity, Design, Health Systems, Research + Evaluation, Strategic Design /

If you’re stuck trying to connect your ambitions, your programs, and evidence for use in complex contexts, traditional evaluation models won’t get you there. Design-driven evaluation might. Complex contexts involve multiple sources of input, changing conditions, and different timescales. They bring together uncertainty and a resistance to rigid, linear plans and to the use of […]

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Coaching For Impact

Strategic Design, Strategy /

It’s a strange thing that we easily accept elite athletes and teams, or award-winning performers, having coaches to help them improve and sustain their performance, yet ignore this for human systems work. Why? No matter how experienced, wise, educated or involved a leader is in the craft and practice of their work, there is room

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SWOT Analysis: A Guide

Strategic Design, Strategy /

SWOT analysis is a strategic tool developed in the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. While widely adopted in business, it faces criticism for lack of methodological rigor and oversimplification. Despite its limitations, skilled facilitation can enhance its effectiveness in strategy discussions and foresight activities.

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Beyond Algorithms: Why AI Can’t Replace Strategic Design

Design, Strategic Design, Toolkit /

It’s nearly impossible to scan the news without encountering AI. From OpenAI’s Sora bringing filmmaking to anyone with a prompt, to tools that generate documents, podcasts, and reports in seconds, we’re witnessing a fundamental shift in how things get made. But here’s the question that matters for those of us working in health and human

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Strategy as Design — Principles for Adaptive Leadership

Complexity, Design, Learning, Strategic Design, Strategy /

In today’s complex environment, traditional strategic planning often fails. Cense advocates for strategic design, prioritizing coherence and adaptability. This approach emphasizes humility, inquiry, and agility in leadership, covering four pillars: intent, imagination, production, and learning. It fosters responsive systems that align people and processes while promoting ongoing learning and engagement.

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