from the studio

Explainers, remixes, and art projects about evaluation, learning, and what's happening in the world around us. This is where we think out loud.

explainers

Answering the questions we get asked most often. These explainers dig into our approaches, challenge conventional thinking, and make the case for a different way of working.

What's the difference between community-owned and participatory evaluation?

Start here to understand community-owned evaluation and how it differs from participatory evaluation.

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is community-owned evaluation more expensive?

See how our approach shifts how money is spent and on whom.

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What's the First Step in an Evaluation, Really?

A case for why governance, not questions, should be the first step in any evaluation.

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what happens at the end of a community-owned evaluation?

Most evaluations are designed for delivery, not longevity. Here's what COE builds for the long term.

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remixes

Words as alive as the world we live in. We remix what’s trending to simplify complex ideas and draw meaningful connections to our work. Here’s what pop culture (and therefore the Studio) is talking about right now.

Banished: What The Traitors Gets Right About Strategy, Data, and Power

We're obsessed with season 4 of The Traitors. Take a look at how this iconic season is shaping our MEL practice.

two steps forward and one step back

There's a lot to learn from the Obama-Trump-Biden-Trump transition. Here's how the pingpong match that is U.S. politics is informing how we build better, more resilient strategies.

research and artwork

The Studio is a space for play, experimentation, and learning. Some of our projects are collaborations with communities and organizations, others are passion projects that keep us grounded.

What we create here eventually finds its way outward, keeping us rooted in cultural infrastructure and informing our efforts to co-design just futures.

We currently have several projects in the works. Check out a couple sneak peaks below and follow us on social media for updates.

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Analyzing 12 years of foreign affairs discourse, this project asks what endures and what fades across political cycles.

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This work examines whether protests outrage us more than the injustices that make them necessary.

Visual: Just Stop Oil