Public problems demand a unique set of skills for effective resolution. From critical thinking to collaboration, these seven skills are essential for anyone aspiring to make a difference in the public sphere. Let's delve into what these skills are and why they matter.
“Public problem solvers” are leaders who recognize the need to work differently to accomplish their goals and change the world
They are social innovators, change agents, or public-interest lawyers.
- Universities do not offer public-problem-solving courses or career advice, and there is no standardized set of data on how many students want to do mission-driven work after graduation
- Training programs for those who work in nonprofits or for government offer no solution to this problem
- Public-interest law is a broad but coherent field with a defined skill set
- It covers using legal techniques such as litigation, law reform, and legal advocacy to advance the public good
Rapid evidence review
Powerful partnerships
- Measuring what works
- Ethically conscious of obligations to due process and equity
- Not content with incremental approaches
- Want to solve the problem in front of them not just solve it but institutionalize a process that others can learn from
Solving Public Problems
Problem definition: How to define a problem that is urgent, that matters to real people, and that can be resolved.
- Data-analytical thinking: They know how to use data and the analysis of data in to understand the breadth and nature of the problem.
Human-centered design
design interventions in partnership with those they are trying to help, deepening their understanding of the problem by consulting people directly affected by it.
- Collective intelligence- adopt more participatory and democratic ways of working that build on the collective intelligence of communities.
