Building State Capability Podcast - Building State Capability at Harvard University

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PDIA in Practice 10: Building and Maintaining Authorization Dec 11, 2019

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The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series

Part 10: Building and maintaining authorization

Welcome to Part 10 of the Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series. This 12 part series, based on a video series used for our PDIA online course, will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. More than 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach.

Authorization is a necessary condition to build state capability. However, it is not easy to build authorization to act. In today’s podcast, Professor Matt Andrews will discuss the challenges of gaining authorization and offer practical ideas to address them.

Matt, can you share with our listeners what you mean by authority and why this is important for building state capability?

Understanding Your Authorizing Environment

Thanks Matt. People often make assumptions about their own bureaucracy. Can you share more about the difference between an ideal and a real bureaucracy?

Ideal vs. Real Bureaucracy

Can you further explain what you mean by the reality of authority? What does it look like?

Fragmented and Dysfunctional Authority.

You often say that maintaining support in a change process is a real challenge. How should our listeners grow and maintain their authority?

Maintaining Your Authorizing Environment

Thank you for listening to Part 10 of the Practice of PDIA: Podcast series. Tune in to listen to Part 11 where we will discuss iteration. To learn more about building and maintaining authorization in PDIA, download our toolkit at bsc.cid.harvard.edu.

PDIA in Practice 9: Crawling the Design Space for Possible Solutions Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series

Part 9: Crawling the design space for possible solutions

Welcome to Part 9 of the Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series. This 12 part series, based on a video series used for our PDIA online course, will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. More than 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach.

We believe that the answers to complex problems do exist and can be found, but must emerge through active iteration, experimentation, and learning. In today’s podcast, Professor Matt Andrews will discuss how to crawl the design space for possible solutions.

Matt, can you share with our listeners why it is important to pay attention to one’s own context when beginning the process of identifying potential solutions?

Iceberg metaphor

Thanks Matt. In development, external best practice is almost always used as a solution. In reality, however, finding solutions to tough problems is not so simple. How should our listeners think about this?

Learning by crawling

Thank you for listening to Part 9 of the Practice of PDIA: Podcast series. Tune in to listen to Part 10 where we will discuss authorization. To learn more about crawling the design space in PDIA, download our toolkit at bsc.cid.harvard.edu.

PDIA in Practice 8: Sequencing - Using change space analysis to identify entry points Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

Part 8: Sequencing: Using change space analysis to identify entry points

Welcome to Part 8 of the Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series. This 12 part series, based on a video series used for our PDIA online course, will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. More than 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach.

Effective sequencing is key to doing PDIA. A failure to sequence effectively could lead, in principle and practice, to premature load bearing (where change demands are introduced before they can be managed by your country or organization). In today’s podcast, Professor Matt Andrews will discuss how to use the triple A change space analysis to identify entry points.

Matt, once one deconstructs their problem and draws a fishbone diagram then what should they do next?

Finding Potential entry points

Problem driven sequencing

Thank you for listening to Part 8 of the Practice of PDIA: Podcast series. Tune in to listen to Part 9 where we will discuss crawling the design space for solutions. To learn more about finding entry points in PDIA, download our toolkit at bsc.cid.harvard.edu.

PDIA in Practice 7: Deconstructing Problems Nov 20, 2019

Show notes

The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series

Part 7: Deconstructing Problems

Welcome to Part 7 of the Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series. This 12 part series, based on a video series used for our PDIA online course, will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. More than 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach.

Most problems in the public sector are wicked hard and therefore it is easy to get stuck. These meta problems need to be broken down into manageable problems to help you mobilize support and to ultimately solve. In today’s podcast, Professor Matt Andrews and Lant Pritchett will discuss how to deconstruct problems.

Lant, you often say PDIA is hard. Can you explain this to our listeners?

You cannot juggle without the struggle

Thanks Lant. Matt what else would you say about the role of struggling in PDIA?

PDIA is a way to structure your struggle

Matt, you often say, PDIA is an approach to solving complex problems where the problem needs to be broken down into smaller, more manageable sets of focal points for engagement, that are open to localized solution building. Can you explain how you do this in PDIA?

Deconstructing sticky problems.

Thank you for listening to Part 7 of the Practice of PDIA: Podcast series. Tune in to listen to Part 8 where we will discuss the triple A change space analysis. To learn more about the problem deconstruction process in PDIA, download our toolkit at bsc.cid.harvard.edu.

PDIA in Practice 6: Constructing Problems Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series

Part 6: Constructing Problems

Welcome to Part 6 of the Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series. This 12 part series, based on a video series used for our PDIA online course, will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. More than 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach.

Problems are key to driving change. A problem that matters is one that gets attention and mobilizes action. Solving problems that matter ensures that you are doing something contextually relevant. In today’s podcast, we have Professor Matt Andrews and Lant Pritchett who will discuss the process of problem construction.

Lant, can you help our listeners differentiate between selling solutions and solving problems?

Selling Solutions vs. Solving Problems.>

Thanks Lant. Matt, you often talk about problems as entry points, can you share more about this with our listeners?

Real Problem Driven Reform.

Constructing Problems that matter>

Matt, your examples are really helpful in clarifying what you mean. I was wondering if you could share more about the types of problems that drive change.

Constructing Problems to Drive Change >

Thank you for listening to Part 6 of the Practice of PDIA Podcast series. Tune in to listen to Part 7 where we discuss how to deconstruct problems. To learn more about the problem construction process in PDIA, download our toolkit at bsc.cid.harvard.edu.

PDIA in Practice 5: People as The Source of Capability in PDIA Nov 06, 2019

Show notes

The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series

Part 5: People as the source of capability in PDIA

Welcome to Part 5 of the Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series. This 12 part series, based on a video series used for our PDIA online course, will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. More than 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach.

‘People’ are vital to PDIA and in today’s podcast, Professor Matt Andrews will discuss who you need to do PDIA and how you get them to engage.

Matt, can you share some of your research and thoughts about leadership

Who is the Leader?

So Matt, if the champion alone is not sufficient for change, then who do you need to do PDIA?

Initiating Agency in PDIA

You speak a lot about teams. Can you share some of your wisdom on building teams?

Building Teams. .>

Matt, if you are working with a small team, how do you think about creating broad agency?

Broad Agency. >

Thank you for listening to Part 5 of the Practice of PDIA: Podcast series. Tune in to listen to Part 6 where we will discuss how to construct problems. To learn more visit bsc.cid.harvard.edu.

PDIA in Practice 4: PDIA to Escape Oct 30, 2019

Show notes

The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series

Part 4: PDIA to Escape

Welcome to Part 4 of the Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast series. This 12 part series, based on a video series used for our PDIA online course, will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. More than 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach.

Organizations build their capability for implementing policy by defining problems, discovering the practices that work to solve those problems, and then embedding and incorporating those practices as their new way of doing business inside the organization. In today’s podcast, we have with us Professor Lant Pritchett and Michael Woolcock who will discuss PDIA as a way to escape capability traps.

Lant, could you please explain what PDIA is?

What is PDIA?

Thanks Lant. Michael, So how is PDIA different?

How is PDIA Different >

Thank you Michael. Lant, when you think about PDIA, where should you use it?

PDIA is about matching your capability with your challenge

Thank you for listening to Part 4 of the Practice of PDIA Podcast series. Tune in to listen to Part 5 where we discuss People as the source of capability in PDIA. To learn more visit bsc.cid.harvard.edu.

PDIA in Practice 3: Building the Capability You Need Oct 23, 2019

Show notes

The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast is a 12 part series that will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach. Visit www.bsc.hks.harvard.edu for more information about PDIA or download our free DIY Toolkit: https://bsc.hks.harvard.edu/tools/toolkit/ Watch the Practice of PDIA videos: vimeo.com/84361642 --- Intro music(edited)Artist: Pictures of the Floating World. Title: England. freemusicarchive.org/music/Pictures…World/England/

PDIA in Practice 2: Techniques of Successful Failure Oct 16, 2019

Show notes

PDIA in Practice 1: The Big Stuck and Capability for Policy Implementation Oct 10, 2019

Show notes

The Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results Podcast is a 12 part series that will walk you through the PDIA or Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation approach to solving complex development problems. 1,500 development practitioners in 90 countries have used the PDIA approach. Visit www.bsc.hks.harvard.edu for more information about PDIA or download our free DIY Toolkit: https://bsc.hks.harvard.edu/tools/toolkit/ Watch The Practice of PDIA videos: https://vimeo.com/showcase/6328315 --- Intro music (edited) Artist: Pictures of the Floating World. Title: England. freemusicarchive.org/music/Pictures…World/England/

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