Musings on learning + evaluation + strategy to inspire
On Our Minds
Count Skelly: Halloween Inspired Data Definitions
For the last few Octobers, my town has turned into Halloween central. I’m talking over the top decorations. It’s been a strange juxtaposition, watching the goofy yard displays pop up alongside the rise of fascism. I’ve found it increasing difficult to focus on silly...
Renegotiating Your Yes in Evaluation
Recently, I’ve made a lot of decisions that I expect might be found filed under “things not to do” in the bestselling business books. And I stand by each of these, however uncomfortable they may have been. I pulled out of a keynote speaking engagement (to support my...
The Magic of the Messy Middle
I'm writing this as I am serenaded by birds chirping outside my window, preparing for sunset. And suddenly I'm acutely aware of the juxtaposition of those sounds of nature with so much of the noise in our world screaming — bigger, faster, stronger, scalable, more,...
Letting Go of What No Longer Serves You in Evaluation
Have you ever found yourself sitting at your desk or on your couch, gazing out at your surroundings, wondering how you got there? That was my experience recently as I took a deep look at my living space. I see the pictures of my family, friends, and travels. I see the...
Contextualizing Data for Clarity
Data represents people. It can be easy to forget that when we're being inundated by numbers, percents, charts, and tables. Adding context to these numbers and percents is one way to help partners connect with the stories and lives behind the data. Context provides...
From Peaks to Print: Visualizing My Hiking Journey
In my life and practice, nature and consulting are interconnected. My work is about emergence, and that requires me to remain grounded in my senses and the environment. I find an abundance of joy, creativity, and inspiration in nature. I do my best thinking in the...
Exploring Survey Development Dynamics
“We need a survey” says every company everywhere these days. At least that is how it can feel to customers, clients, consumers, and consultants. Every day my inbox is inundated with surveys from colleagues, associations, banks, corporations, and physicians. The list...
Perspective: Changing Your Evaluation Lens
Have you seen the new images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (Webb)? For the first time ever, we are able to view galaxies that have never been seen before. We have a new perspective of the world, literally. Check out the GIF below to see a comparison of the...
Celebrating 1 Year of Solopreneurship
One year ago, I filed my LLC paperwork. Two weeks later, I gave notice at my full time job. Two weeks after that, I said goodbye to my old position. At the time, all of this felt very anticlimactic and unceremonious. Filing for the LLC took approximately 5 minutes...