How AI tools like GPT and Perplexity are supporting — not replacing — collaborative work in research, writing, and systems facilitation.| learningforsustainability.net
This post offers a clear, practice-first guide to systems thinking, systemic design, systems innovation, and innovation systems – terms often used but seldom compared in plain language. It explores how they link, why clarity supports collaboration, and how each can strengthen projects and partnerships. One of the challenges of working in complex settings is the […] The post Systems thinking, systemic design, and systems innovation: what’s the difference? appeared first on learningforsus...| learningforsustainability.net
This post explores what global debates and on-the-ground practice are teaching us about adaptation today. I share six key insights that show why adaptation is as much social and institutional as it is technical, and then look at why monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) has become the missing infrastructure. Together, they point to practical ways […] The post Monitoring, evaluation and learning for climate adaptation: practical guidance for practitioners and policy leads appeared first ...| learningforsustainability.net
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Learning for Sustainability website. In this post, I share the story of its evolution, the recent site refresh, and some of the most popular resources supporting collaboration, systems thinking, and learning in complex settings. This year, the Learning for Sustainability (LfS) website celebrates 20 years since its […] The post 20 years of Learning for Sustainability appeared first on learningforsustainability.net.| learningforsustainability.net
Raising awareness is important. But it rarely changes practice on its own. Many sustainability initiatives still lean on familiar levers to drive change: legislation, incentives, and public education campaigns. Each of these has a role. But in practice, especially in complex or place-based settings, we often need more. People don’t act based only on what […] The post Why ‘awareness’ isn’t enough: shifting public engagement on sustainability appeared first on learningforsustainabilit...| learningforsustainability.net
In complex, real-world settings, progress often depends on people learning together. This post explores what social learning looks like in practice, and why creating space for reflection, dialogue, and shared understanding is key to working across difference and uncertainty. When people face complex challenges – whether in sustainability transitions, public health, urban development, or freshwater […] The post Social learning in action: working together on complex challenges appeared firs...| learningforsustainability.net
Thinking about the future is essential in today’s complex world – but terms like foresight, scenario planning, and visioning often get blurred together. This post offers a practical orientation to four overlapping futures approaches, showing how they can be used together to support shared learning, strategic clarity, and collaborative action. Whether you’re working on climate, community planning, […] The post Exploring futures in practice: collaborative approaches for navigating cha...| learningforsustainability.net
Single-point rubrics offer a clear, reflective framework for learning and improvement – especially in complex, collaborative work. This post explores how they differ from conventional rubrics, why they support adaptive practice, and how they can be used to shape programmes, partnerships, and systems change. In many areas of work – particularly those involving collaboration, systems change, or place-based […] The post Single-point rubrics: supporting reflection and learning in complex...| learningforsustainability.net
In complex settings, different practices like evaluation, co-design, systems thinking, social learning, and participatory action research often build on common foundations. This post brings together a set of recent reflections that explore these shared starting points: clarity of purpose, attention to context, relational work, and space for reflection and learning. Over the past year, many […] The post Exploring complexity: a thread through recent reflections appeared first on learningforsu...| learningforsustainability.net
In complex, collaborative development initiatives – where outcomes emerge over time, and values may differ – evaluation needs to do more than measure results. This post outlines why and shares five grounded patterns from complexity-aware monitoring, evaluation and learning (CAMEL). Finally it reflects on what this approach asks of evaluators in practice. I’ve worked in long-term programmes where […] The post Evaluation in complex settings: reflections on practice and evaluator role...| learningforsustainability.net
A knowledge hub supporting systems thinking, evaluation, co-design and adaptation. Curated resources and insights for practitioners working in complex contexts.| learningforsustainability.net
This post reflects on co-design practice in complex, multi-stakeholder settings, highlighting six interwoven elements that support inclusive, adaptive, and collaborative approaches.| learningforsustainability.net
