Comments for Aid on the Edge of Chaos http://aidontheedge.info Exploring complexity sciences in international development and humanitarian aid Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:27:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on “There is no such thing as a natural disaster”: crises, complexity and the role of theory by Raima http://aidontheedge.info/2010/02/03/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-natural-disaster-crises-complexity-and-the-role-of-theory/#comment-516 Raima Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:27:22 +0000 http://aidontheedge.info/?p=517#comment-516 I'm so sorry that I am only now, in July (!), finding your excellent blog post. Thanks for linking to my own blog, Complexity Simplified, and for mentioning my attempt to explain the way complex systems science can help us understand and prepare for disasters. Your explanation is so much more thorough and I'm very excited to read some of the references you've provided here, as I'm still quite interested in this topic, but not as familiar with the disaster response literature as you are. My own expertise is more on the basic physical and mathematical principles involved in complex systems science, and I am not as conversant with the disaster literature as I would like to be. So, thank you for this great post! -- Raima I’m so sorry that I am only now, in July (!), finding your excellent blog post. Thanks for linking to my own blog, Complexity Simplified, and for mentioning my attempt to explain the way complex systems science can help us understand and prepare for disasters. Your explanation is so much more thorough and I’m very excited to read some of the references you’ve provided here, as I’m still quite interested in this topic, but not as familiar with the disaster response literature as you are. My own expertise is more on the basic physical and mathematical principles involved in complex systems science, and I am not as conversant with the disaster literature as I would like to be. So, thank you for this great post! — Raima

]]> Comment on About by Jennifer Lentfer http://aidontheedge.info/about/#comment-513 Jennifer Lentfer Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:00:54 +0000 #comment-513 How-matters.org explores the skills and knowledge needed by all international “do-gooders” to truly raise the level of human dignity within international assistance and to put real resources behind local means of overcoming obstacles. Understanding and feeling comfortable with the inherent complexity in our field is a big part of this. I have posted a link from my blogsite to yours and would appreciate if you'd take the time to look over mine. Simply put, my perspective is…aid effectiveness is not about what we do, but HOW we do it. How-matters.org explores the skills and knowledge needed by all international “do-gooders” to truly raise the level of human dignity within international assistance and to put real resources behind local means of overcoming obstacles. Understanding and feeling comfortable with the inherent complexity in our field is a big part of this. I have posted a link from my blogsite to yours and would appreciate if you’d take the time to look over mine.

Simply put, my perspective is…aid effectiveness is not about what we do, but HOW we do it.

]]> Comment on Global CEO survey reveals primary challenge as addressing the ‘complexity gap’ by Time is a funny thing « Find What Works http://aidontheedge.info/2010/06/08/global-ibm-ceo-survey-reveals-primary-challenge-as-addressing-the-complexity-gap/#comment-512 Time is a funny thing « Find What Works Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:23:15 +0000 http://aidontheedge.info/?p=782#comment-512 [...] of many possible examples is a report cited in a recent post at Aid on the Edge of Chaos. It contains the following quote: “CEOs told us they operate in a world that is substantially [...] [...] of many possible examples is a report cited in a recent post at Aid on the Edge of Chaos. It contains the following quote: “CEOs told us they operate in a world that is substantially [...]

]]> Comment on About by Christopher Wilson http://aidontheedge.info/about/#comment-489 Christopher Wilson Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:09:56 +0000 #comment-489 Dear Ben Ramalingam, As part of our effort to gather information and resources, the Governance Assessment Portal is watching the Aid on the Edge of Chaos blog and newsfeed for news items relevant to country led democratic governance assessments. When we find such an item, we will post a link to it, accompanied by a brief description, the posting date and a reference to Aid on the Edge of Chaos. We hope that this will provide a valuable resource to actors working with governance assessment at the country level, as well as drive traffic to your site and the important work to be found there. Aid on the Edge of Chaos is one of nearly 200 news sources currently being scanned as part of our effort to provide a one-stop-shop for democratic governance assessments as a mechanism for strengthening accountability and participation at the country level. The GAP news scan will be officially launched in coming weeks, but is currently up and running, so please do not hesitate to browse articles or sign up for an rss feed at http://gaportal.org/support/news-and-media. If you would like additional information, to suggest additional news sources, or to set up a link to the GAP on the Aid on the Edge of Chaos site, please do not hesitate to get in touch at governance.assessments@undp.org. Best Regards, Christopher Wilson Information Consultant Governance Assessment Portal (http://gaportal.org/) UNDP Oslo Governance Centre United Nations Development Programme Visit: Inkognitogata 37, 0256 Oslo, Norway Mail: Postboks 2847, Solli, 0204 Oslo, Norway christopher.wilson@undp.dk Tel: +47 2347 1618 / Cell: +47 9062 9020 Skype: cosgrovedent The Governance Assessment Portal is a virtual resource centre for indicators, assessment frameworks and country studies. Here you can find data, articles, tools, statistics and case studies on measuring democratic governance. Get in contact with international experts and initiatives. Learn how to develop an index to monitor performance of public administration, sectors and services, where to find surveys for evaluating corruption, how to conduct a baseline for democracy, when to advocate for evidence based policy reform on local governance and decentralization in your country, and more Dear Ben Ramalingam,
As part of our effort to gather information and resources, the Governance Assessment Portal is watching
the Aid on the Edge of Chaos blog and newsfeed for news items relevant to country led democratic
governance assessments. When we find such an item, we will post a link to it, accompanied by a brief
description, the posting date and a reference to Aid on the Edge of Chaos. We hope that this will
provide a valuable resource to actors working with governance assessment at the country level, as well
as drive traffic to your site and the important work to be found there.
Aid on the Edge of Chaos is one of nearly 200 news sources currently being scanned as part of our effort
to provide a one-stop-shop for democratic governance assessments as a mechanism for strengthening
accountability and participation at the country level. The GAP news scan will be officially launched in
coming weeks, but is currently up and running, so please do not hesitate to browse articles or sign up for
an rss feed at http://gaportal.org/support/news-and-media.
If you would like additional information, to suggest additional news sources, or to set up a link to the
GAP on the Aid on the Edge of Chaos site, please do not hesitate to get in touch at
governance.assessments@undp.org.
Best Regards,
Christopher Wilson
Information Consultant
Governance Assessment Portal (http://gaportal.org/)
UNDP Oslo Governance Centre
United Nations Development Programme
Visit: Inkognitogata 37, 0256 Oslo, Norway
Mail: Postboks 2847, Solli, 0204 Oslo, Norway
christopher.wilson@undp.dk
Tel: +47 2347 1618 / Cell: +47 9062 9020
Skype: cosgrovedent
The Governance Assessment Portal is a virtual resource centre for indicators, assessment frameworks
and country studies. Here you can find data, articles, tools, statistics and case studies on measuring
democratic governance. Get in contact with international experts and initiatives. Learn how to develop
an index to monitor performance of public administration, sectors and services, where to find surveys
for evaluating corruption, how to conduct a baseline for democracy, when to advocate for evidence
based policy reform on local governance and decentralization in your country, and more

]]> Comment on Complexity and Innovation: A Plexus Institute interview by Virtual Economics http://aidontheedge.info/2010/06/15/complexity-and-innovation-a-plexus-institute-interview/#comment-485 Virtual Economics Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:47:54 +0000 http://aidontheedge.info/?p=799#comment-485 A pretty good interview! Sure, It will help the aid activists, development professionals and aid agencies, to improve their performance. A pretty good interview!
Sure, It will help the aid activists, development professionals and aid agencies, to improve their performance.

]]> Comment on Global CEO survey reveals primary challenge as addressing the ‘complexity gap’ by Phil A Teare (Unlabeled) http://aidontheedge.info/2010/06/08/global-ibm-ceo-survey-reveals-primary-challenge-as-addressing-the-complexity-gap/#comment-476 Phil A Teare (Unlabeled) Sat, 12 Jun 2010 11:35:09 +0000 http://aidontheedge.info/?p=782#comment-476 Another excellent post. Go with the flow and evolve, or be eroded in the eddies of changes. But will they learn... Another excellent post.

Go with the flow and evolve, or be eroded in the eddies of changes.

But will they learn…

]]> Comment on Compiling evaluation and complexity resources by Peter Wilson http://aidontheedge.info/2010/05/17/compiling-evaluation-and-complexity-resources/#comment-474 Peter Wilson Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:26:25 +0000 http://aidontheedge.info/?p=762#comment-474 Excellent blog. I was woefully ignorant of this work when I co-wrote a paper on evolutionary approaches to development (in particular Security Sector Reform). It's interesting to see lots of us coming at the same set of problems from slightly different angles. You can see the paper at http://www.libraadvisorygroup.com/assets/docs/SecuritySectorEvolutionLibraJuly2009.pdf I'm leading an effort in my company to turn all these insights into practical planning tools for development actors, ideally to replace the dreaded logframe. If anyone has any bright ideas please contact me at peter.wilson@libraadvisorygroup.com Excellent blog. I was woefully ignorant of this work when I co-wrote a paper on evolutionary approaches to development (in particular Security Sector Reform). It’s interesting to see lots of us coming at the same set of problems from slightly different angles. You can see the paper at http://www.libraadvisorygroup.com/assets/docs/SecuritySectorEvolutionLibraJuly2009.pdf

I’m leading an effort in my company to turn all these insights into practical planning tools for development actors, ideally to replace the dreaded logframe. If anyone has any bright ideas please contact me at peter.wilson@libraadvisorygroup.com

]]> Comment on Global CEO survey reveals primary challenge as addressing the ‘complexity gap’ by Tweets that mention Global CEO survey reveals primary challenge as addressing the ‘complexity gap’ « Aid on the Edge of Chaos -- Topsy.com http://aidontheedge.info/2010/06/08/global-ibm-ceo-survey-reveals-primary-challenge-as-addressing-the-complexity-gap/#comment-473 Tweets that mention Global CEO survey reveals primary challenge as addressing the ‘complexity gap’ « Aid on the Edge of Chaos -- Topsy.com Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:21:13 +0000 http://aidontheedge.info/?p=782#comment-473 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Updaid and Irene Guijt, Aid on the Edge. Aid on the Edge said: Global CEO survey reveals primary challenge as addressing the ‘complexity gap’ http://tinyurl.com/35syw5q [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Updaid and Irene Guijt, Aid on the Edge. Aid on the Edge said: Global CEO survey reveals primary challenge as addressing the ‘complexity gap’ http://tinyurl.com/35syw5q [...]

]]> Comment on Powerpoint, complexity and the art of hypnotising chickens by Sharon Rudy http://aidontheedge.info/2010/04/27/powerpoint-complexity-and-the-art-of-hypnotising-chickens/#comment-447 Sharon Rudy Wed, 19 May 2010 23:34:29 +0000 http://aidontheedge.info/?p=715#comment-447 There is something mind-numbing about powerpoint - I don't care how many dancing words and embedded videos there are. The more expert you are, the more slides you have. So what if some are unreadable. Just push the information out, toss out your business card, and away you go. Nowadays, it takes courage to have a thoughtful interaction with the audience. It means sharing control, maybe mutual learning. There is something mind-numbing about powerpoint – I don’t care how many dancing words and embedded videos there are. The more expert you are, the more slides you have. So what if some are unreadable. Just push the information out, toss out your business card, and away you go.

Nowadays, it takes courage to have a thoughtful interaction with the audience. It means sharing control, maybe mutual learning.

]]> Comment on International Conference on Evaluating the Complex – 2nd in emergent series on complexity and aid by Compiling evaluation and complexity resources « Aid on the Edge of Chaos http://aidontheedge.info/2009/09/28/international-conference-on-evaluating-the-complex-2nd-in-emergent-series-on-complexity-and-aid/#comment-443 Compiling evaluation and complexity resources « Aid on the Edge of Chaos Mon, 17 May 2010 14:36:46 +0000 http://aidontheedge.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/international-conference-on-evaluating-the-complex-2nd-in-emergent-series-on-complexity-and-aid/#comment-443 [...] The 2008 Norad Meeting A conference held by NORAD in Oslo, bringing together practitioners and policy makers from around the world [...] [...] The 2008 Norad Meeting A conference held by NORAD in Oslo, bringing together practitioners and policy makers from around the world [...]

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