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The Big Picture

The Big Picture

Stepping back to see the whole, its interconnections and interdependences. These posts explore the large-scale global to local forces shaping our era, including geopolitics, economic systems, technological disruption, the triple planetary crises, value and power shifts, and ask what they demand of transformation-focused evaluation — evaluation OF, FOR, AS and IN transformation — and of us as we navigate the present and the future.
19
Mar
Nine Reasons for Hope and Optimism. And why we need to seize this moment.

Nine Reasons for Hope and Optimism. And why we need to seize this moment.

Despite the polycrisis, this is also a time to celebrate. Nine reasons for genuine hope – from shifting power dynamics to regenerative movements – and why evaluation professionals and change-makers should seize this exceptional moment.
11 min read
19
Mar
Seven Reasons for Outrage. And why anger is not the answer.

Seven Reasons for Outrage. And why anger is not the answer.

From broken multilateralism to rising authoritarianism, there are powerful reasons for outrage in our hyperconnected world. But anger alone will not serve us. This post names seven structural failures demanding our attention — and argues for channelling outrage into purposeful action.
8 min read
01
Sep
The Power(lessness) of Evaluation: The case of Afghanistan

The Power(lessness) of Evaluation: The case of Afghanistan

More than 60 evaluation reports over 13 years by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR): a perfect example of evaluation’s power, and its powerlessness. The damage done — hundreds of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars — when evaluation evidence is ignored.
8 min read
11
Apr
Mission-oriented Evaluation

Mission-oriented Evaluation

We need Mission Thinking, Moonshot Thinking, and Mission-Oriented Evaluation if we are to ensure evaluation is fit for purpose for
6 min read
14
Jul
Lost in the loss of travelling the world

Lost in the loss of travelling the world

My life is a tapestry of memories. Woven together to make up the fabric of my life. Like African fabrics,
7 min read
24
Apr
COVID-19, Part 6. Extraordinary benefits

COVID-19, Part 6. Extraordinary benefits

A dispassionate observer of Planet Earth from far away could well be pleased with this global crisis faced by all
5 min read
06
Apr
COVID-19, Part 1. Earth has gone quiet

COVID-19, Part 1. Earth has gone quiet

We are at a transformative moment in the history of humankind and of our planet. During this extraordinary time and
5 min read
22
Apr
Learning from China's Transformation, Part 4. Dominant narratives, alternative perspectives

Learning from China's Transformation, Part 4. Dominant narratives, alternative perspectives

Democracy, human rights, Africa engagement, the Belt and Road ‘debt trap’ – four dominant narratives about China examined alongside alternative perspectives. Why we must demonstrate nuance and pluralism.
6 min read
18
Apr
Learning from China's Transformation, Part 3. Seeing through others' eyes

Learning from China's Transformation, Part 3. Seeing through others' eyes

Our assumptions about China are shaped by narratives we rarely question. This post challenges us to see through others’ eyes – understanding how worldviews, cultural patterning and historical memory shape radically different perspectives on the same reality.
3 min read
16
Apr
Learning from China's Transformation, Part 2. Towards an ecological civilisation

Learning from China's Transformation, Part 2. Towards an ecological civilisation

China’s ambitious vision for an ‘ecological civilisation’ offers a striking counterpoint to Western development models. This post examines how Confucian philosophy, environmental policy and systems thinking converge in China’s approach to sustainable development.
7 min read