Category Archives: Uncategorized

Theories of change, stakeholders, imagined beneficiaries, & stealing from product design. That is, meet ‘Mary.’

This post is also available, lightly edited, here. I have been thinking a lot about ‘theories of change’ this week (just did some presenting on them here!). Actually, I have been thinking more about ‘conceptual models,’ which was the term by which I was first introduced to the general idea (via Vic Strecher in ConceptualContinueContinue reading “Theories of change, stakeholders, imagined beneficiaries, & stealing from product design. That is, meet ‘Mary.’”

Allowing ‘revisibility’ in decisionmaking

Originally posted on Suvojit Chattopadhyay:
This is a joint post with Heather – fifth in our series on decisionmaking *** Throughout this series of posts (1, 2, 3, 4), we have considered two main issues. First, how can evidence and evaluation be shaped to be made more useful – that is, directly useable – in guiding decision-makers to…

have evidence, will… um, erm? (3 of 6, relevent reasons)

this is a joint post with suvojit. it is also posted on people, spaces, deliberation. . in our last post, we wrote about factors – evidence and otherwise – influencing decision-making about development programmes. to do so, we have considered the premise of an agency deciding whether to continue or scale a given program afterContinueContinue reading “have evidence, will… um, erm? (3 of 6, relevent reasons)”

something to put in your friday pipe(line) (i am not so sure about phase-in/pipeline designs)…

first of all, i admit that i had to use the interwebs to make certain of the meaning of ‘put that in your pipe and smoke it,’ having initially heard the phrase via west side story and only inferring the meaning. wikitionary suggests that it is truth-telling of a surprising or unpleasant nature, which mightContinueContinue reading “something to put in your friday pipe(line) (i am not so sure about phase-in/pipeline designs)…”

Refereeing an academic paper

The below list is 100% taken from the following sources; my only contribution is to mix them up into a three-page document. http://blogs.worldbank.org/impactevaluations/how-much-to-referee-and-how-to-do-it http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2006/10/how_to_be_a_goo.html http://chrisblattman.com/files/2009/07/PLSC508-Syllabus-Spring2010.pdf http://www.roie.org/howr.pdf Nevertheless, may prove useful. Additions, of course, welcome. Assume that no referee reports are truly anonymous.  It is fine to be critical but always be polite. Skim the paperContinueContinue reading “Refereeing an academic paper”

Read it, understand it, believe it, use it

Originally posted on Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences:
“Principles and proposals for a more credible research publication”, an early draft white paper on best practices for social science journals, by Don Green, Macartan Humphreys, and Jenny Smith. Abstract: In recent years concerns have been raised that second-rate norms for analysis, reporting, and data access…

see wound, insert (new, improved, foreign) salt

perhaps like many people in public health, i take the fortification of salt with iodine – the prevention of several thyroid-related disorders and the widespread return of the neck ruff – as one of public/global health’s major achievements. up there with smallpox, water treatment (for sanitation and potentially with fluoride) and really-we-are-nearly-there-but-stuff-keeps-happening polio. the WHO declared aContinueContinue reading “see wound, insert (new, improved, foreign) salt”

found diary post, faith in development restored

it isn’t every day that someone leaves behind a page in their diary in a cafe *and* it happens to be related to your work… thought some of you would enjoy this entry by an anonymous do-gooder. Dear Diary,I am happy to report that I have successfully changed the face of primary education in Kenya. Three daysContinueContinue reading “found diary post, faith in development restored”