Tools and techniques Archives

Changing organisations Communications Complexity Conference references Cynefin Employee engagement Events Organisational culture Tools and techniques

Transforming organisations – slides from the Agile2019 workshop in DC

A big thank you to everyone who came along to our workshop last week in Washington, DC. A whistle-stop hour-long session saw us sense-making – gathering about 80 experiences from people and signifying them on the walls (see the photos below), then visiting the Cynefin framework and talking about the Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 5 years20 August 2019 ago

Tony facilitating the Digital Leadership meetup on Sensemaking

Conference references Culture Employee engagement Narrative research SenseMaker Tools and techniques Uncategorized

Digital Leadership, Agile Transformation – an introduction to narrative research and SenseMaker

Thanks to the Digital Leadership Meetup team for the recent opportunity to join them. We talked about the need for good feedback, sense-making in working with people – and the vital role of employee narrative research in providing that (in this case, using SenseMaker® software). The slides from the SenseMaking Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 5 years12 April 2019 ago

Changing organisations Culture Employee engagement Engagement Narrative research Organisational culture SenseMaker Tools and techniques

Reflections on developing a SenseMaker framework to understand company culture

We spent last week working on a new narrative research framework using SenseMaker® with a new client – a quick snapshot of the organisation ahead of a big leadership and organisational design event in a month’s time. The week started with a workshop to explore the issue and the potential Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 5 years5 November 2018 ago

Communications Narrative research SenseMaker Tools and techniques

Mrs Trellis, red-shirts and savings – the limits of text analysis

I’ve just finished Tim Harford‘s excellent Messy (paperback just out) alongside Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa‘s The Leopard and both have thrown up examples of phrases that brought a smile to my face and, along with an example from a conference earlier this year, highlight one of my concerns about automatic forms Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 6 years29 October 2017 ago

Narrative Narrative research SenseMaker Tools and techniques

Nudging people towards latrines

Nice article today on the WorldBank and its behavioural change aims – my favourite piece was this: Toilets, for example. Nowhere is open defecation more prominent than in India, where more than 600 million people have no access to a toilet. But even where proper sanitation has been installed, “people Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 8 years7 March 2016 ago

Cognitive Edge Conference references Hints and tips SenseMaker Tools and techniques

Following up on the Cynefin and Sense-Making course…

Last week saw the last Cynefin and Sense-Making (CSM) courses of the year, Dave and I sharing the presenting/facilitating duties. A full room of different backgrounds and nationalities, which kept everything interesting – lessons and applications getting swapped across sectors and countries. Following up is always a challenge – so Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 9 years9 December 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

female sportsman training climbing on rock climbing wall at gym

Cognitive Edge Hints and tips Narrative Narrative research Recommendations SenseMaker Tools and techniques

The evolution of practice – SenseMaker® in Development

I’ve been working with SenseMaker® now in development projects for a few years and I was recently reflecting on how far we’ve come in what we do. Lots of lessons – often learned the hard way in the early stages, but never disastrously. It’s time to share some of those Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years13 May 2014 ago

Cognitive Edge Narrative Narrative research SenseMaker Tools and techniques

Pulling Insights from SenseMaker® – video now available

I recently ran a webinar with Michael Cheveldave about how to pull insights from SenseMaker® via the Cognitive Edge website. We recorded the session and all the questions and answers – the video and supporting materials are all now available to Premium Network Members at the Cognitive Edge website. It’s Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 10 years11 April 2014 ago

Cognitive Edge SenseMaker Tools and techniques

Giants’ shoulders

As a result of teaching on the new Cynefin course this week, I’m re-thinking a couple of things that I’ve put at the centre of my practice recently. One of the core points that I’ve emphasised over the years in projects understanding audiences has been the dangers of relying too Read more…

By Tony Quinlan, 11 years13 May 2013 ago