Slides for my AES Workshop: Application of Complexity Science to Evaluation are here. Topics I’ll cover are: Stability and instability in complex systems Talking to stakeholders about complex behavior Thinking in terms of the behavior of complex systems Pattern, predictability and how change happens as general themes. Methodologies we need to evaluate with respect to … Continue reading Workshop: Drawing from Complexity Science to do Evaluation.
Why does Evaluation need Complexity Science?
Why does Evaluation need Complexity Science? With implications for predictability, unpredictability, and methodology.
What Does Complexity Have to Say About the Learning Organization?
This is the text of a post I recently contributed to Evaltalk, the listserv of the American Evaluation Association. Organizational Learning as Adaptation I see organizational learning in terms of potential for adaptation in a changing environment. Environments can change rapidly or slowly, which makes for two different kinds of adaptive capacity. (I’m a big … Continue reading What Does Complexity Have to Say About the Learning Organization?
How Might Complexity Science Inform the Design and Conduct of Evaluation?
I’m considering pitching a special issue to an evaluation journal titled: How Might Complexity Science Inform the Design and Conduct of Evaluation? I have not committed to this project yet, but I do want to get the idea out there. I’m looking for: 1) critique of this idea, 2) specific topics to cover, 3) friendly … Continue reading How Might Complexity Science Inform the Design and Conduct of Evaluation?
Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Case Based on the GEF’s Resilient Food Systems Program: Integrated Landscape Management to Enhance Food Security and Ecosystem Resilience
Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Case Based on the GEF’s Resilient Food Systems Program: Integrated Landscape Management to Enhance Food Security and Ecosystem Resilience.
Coming Soon (Just don’t ask me exactly what “soon” means.) Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Cases Based on the Global Environment Facility’s Resilient Food Systems Program
Applying Complexity to Evaluation: Cases Based on the Global Environment Facility’s Resilient Food Systems Program
Development Trajectories, Complexity Thinking and Theories of Change
This article builds on a previous contribution to this blog identifying a set of complex adaptive systems that are particularly useful in the formulation of theories of change (TOCs).
Applied Complexity: Theory and Practice of Human Systems Dynamics
My particular take on complexity and systems is called human systems dynamics (HSD). It is a field of theory and practice that applies principles of complex adaptive systems to help people see, understand, and influence emergent patterns in complex human systems.
Creating change in complex systems: the role of phase space
In this piece I introduce the concept of phase space (interchangeable with term ‘state space’).
Within a Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) understanding of how systems change over time, I argue that phase space is important for designing interventions within a CAS.
Applying the complexity concept of “sensitive dependence” to understanding how a program works
Jonathan (Jonny) A Morell President, 4.669… Evaluation and Planning jamorell@jamorell.com blog YouTube This is the first of what I hope will be many posts that show how specific constructs from complexity science can be useful for doing evaluation. There will only be many posts if others contribute. Please do. What complex behavior is this post … Continue reading Applying the complexity concept of “sensitive dependence” to understanding how a program works
Evaluation Uncertainty 