How we work
Our Approach
Not a square peg in a round hole
We start from the existing teams, processes and programs, and focus on understanding “what it takes to get it done”
Program management and progress measurement have been the backbone of our toolbox, focused on increasing the speed and frequency of the plan-do cycle by introducing data-driven, real-time resource tracking and learning.
We adapt ‘best relevant’ methods to develop bespoke analytical tools
While we build on the knowledge of our community, we acknowledge that each problem we need to solve is unique and therefore develop the assessment framework that is fit for purpose. Backed by experts, we tailor our analytical tools to reveal to our clients what they can act upon, rather than what is “interesting to know”. We deploy these tools to create quantitative or qualitative data and shape our clients’ solutions.
We coach the change makers
The leaders of change rarely have a safe space to reflect and decide on adaptive measures during their journey. We have the behavioural experience to enable change makers to reflect on how to drive initiatives in ways which are both personal and effective. We have the technical nous to propose options at times where the speed of change induces individual and collective “tunnel vision”.
What we do to succeed
We see the success of our clients’ projects as dependent on the ability to:
Understand & Explore the issues at hand from multiple perspectives
Engage & Learn together with decision makers, implementers and stakeholders
Plan & Deliver action in a way that provides clarity, accountability and adaptability
Understand & Explore
Change must be issues driven. Understanding the nature of these issues, and exploring their possible causes and impacts forms the basis for our engagements. We believe that exploring takes our teams across boundaries, rapidly moving into unchartered sectors.
Engage & Learn
The learning process relies on the contribution and mobilisation of impacted stakeholder groups. The agility of our solutions relies on activating feedback loops. These shape both the design of solutions and the path of implementation.
Plan & Deliver
Planning is both sense making, projection into the future, and mobilisation of change makers. The practical experience of our team ensures that plans are developed in a collaborative manner, based in facts and anchored in reality. Delivery requires the mobilisation of multiple resources. While financial resources constrain the material possibilities, impactful change depends on the actions of engaged persons, and empowered and accountable teams.
Selected Engagements
Understand & Explore
– Conflict and fragility analysis
– Risk analysis
– Social and environment impact assessment
– Research and analysis through the creation of primary data
– Complex technical and informal process mapping
– Independent reviews
– Gender analysis
– Market analysis
– Multidisciplinary six-layered assessments
Engage & Learn
– Stakeholder mapping
– Peer to peer learning and development
– Community engagement, mapping and process support
– Iterative beneficiary feedback management systems
– Community scorecard
– Social audits
– Multipartner co-design processes
– M&E workshops
Plan & Deliver
– Assessment framework design and testing
– Agile program management
– Tailored real-time project management dashboard
– Strategy development
– Institutional transformation
– Evidence-based, participatory policy formulation
– Policy dialogue and regional harmonisation
– Governance reform
– Partnership design
