Complexity Archives - Page 2 of 12

Cognitive science Complexity Conference references Events Narrative Narrative research SenseMaker

Complexity, micro-narratives and SenseMaker®. Tony Quinlan’s talk from the UN Data Innovation Lab , Nairobi: March 2017

It’s a couple of months ago now, but Narrate’s Chief Storyteller, Tony Quinlan, was invited to talk at the fourth UN Data Innovation Learning Lab event, held in Nairobi, Kenya in March 2017. The event focused on “making data meaningful and making the invisible visible“. The video of the talk Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 7 years13 July 2017 ago

Cognitive Edge Complexity Events Narrative research SenseMaker

Fragments of Impact – Launching a six-month UNDP/Cognitive Edge initiative into working with complex problems

Cognitive Edge and UNDP are together launching a unique initiative to engage with new ways of working on difficult problems in complex and fast-changing situations. The programme will last six months and a limited number of participants are being invited from across a variety of NGO and government groups. Sign Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 9 years14 May 2015 ago

Cognitive science Complexity Conference references Narrative Narrative research Organisational culture SenseMaker

Catching up – Learning From Incidents slides

It’s been an “interesting” few weeks at breakneck pace, so I’m a bit behind in putting things up. So, catching up bit by bit – here are the slides from the ESRC Learning From Incidents seminar at Southampton University on 15th October, along with some reflections from the morning. Download Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 9 years5 November 2014 ago

Changing organisations Complexity Narrative

Little pieces give flavour to a bigger narrative

I’ve added a new podcast to my already-lengthy list. It’s another BBC one – this time a short 2-3 minute piece each day, summing up news stories of 100 years ago in the lead up to World War I. A few weeks in, and I’ve already learned plenty, but it Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years21 July 2014 ago

Changing organisations Complexity

Longitudinal antibiotics

The other week I pointed out the initial voting to decide what the topic of the upcoming Longitude Problem was going to be. The six possibilities were: Flight How can we fly without damaging the environment? Water How can we ensure everyone can have access to safe and clean water? Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years2 July 2014 ago

Communications Complexity Tools and techniques

Consulting on The Emperor’s new clothes

I've noticed I have a tendency to dismiss certain approaches, particularly newer ones that may not have a decent body of theory based on good science behind them, as "the Emperor's new clothes." For those who don't know the story, here's Danny Kaye to explain: (Yes, that's a cheap shot Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years16 June 2014 ago

Changing organisations Cognitive Edge Complexity Events

Getting more good results – while avoiding the “Best Practice” trap

Next week in New York, I’m with Cognitive Edge and UNDP exploring how to scale up projects without falling into the “duplicate and enlarge” trap. Development experts and scientists from ecology, neuroscience and complexity are coming together to look at what new approaches we can fashion that work more practically and effectively than current approaches to scaling up.

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years17 April 2014 ago

Changing organisations Communications Complexity Narrative Organisational culture

Overstating the end-state, Obscuring the objective

I came across a glorious Churchill quote recently while reading Billy Bragg's The Progressive Patriot. It wasn't one I had heard before, but it sums up beautifully something that challenges many of the people I talk to – how to set direction and objectives for large numbers of people, many Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years22 January 2014 ago

Cognitive Edge Complexity Events Knowledge Leadership Narrative Organisational culture Recommendations SenseMaker

The Three … Musketeers? Little Pigs? Stooges? Together in London

Further to yesterday's post about the upcoming courses with Cognitive Edge, diaries have worked out such that Washington DC (Details here) will be a two-handed affair with myself and Dave Snowden teaching, while London (Details here)will be a unique one – three different presenters: Dave, Michael Cheveldave and myself passing Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years29 October 2013 ago

Communications Complexity Narrative Organisational culture SenseMaker

Understanding narratives – the reality of counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency

The Prime Minister, towards the end of his initial comments, said: “In sum, we must frustrate the terrorists with our security, we must beat them militarily, we must address the poisonous narrative they feed on, we must close down the ungoverned space in which they thrive, and we must deal with the grievances that they use to garner support. … Pre-defined categories and questions can be too directive – gaining us at best answers that fit within our previous suspicions, at worst allowing the people we’re hearing the opportunity to give us the stories they think we want to hear. (cf The Hoaxing of Margaret Mead) The poisonous narrative is a tempting but dangerous notion.

By Tony Quinlan, 11 years22 January 2013 ago

Complexity

Complexity characterises the behaviour of a system or model whose components interact in multiple ways and follow local rules, meaning there is no reasonable higher instruction to define the various possible interactions.