On this page you will find tools that we have developed, examples of our published writing, and other resources that we have found outstandingly useful in our practice.
We like to write but don’t always find enough time for it! Here are some of the things we have written that explain our thinking on issues that matter to us.
Lipson, B. (2015, )commissioned by WWF UK
Brenda Lipson & Martina Hunt (2008) Oxford, INTRAC
Howard, J., Grimshaw, L., Lipson, B., Taylor, M. and Wilson, M. (2009) Project Report. Cities Research Centre, University of the West of England. Commissioned by Capacity Builders.
Bruce Britton, Rod Sterne and Debbie Heaney (undated)
Bruce Britton and Liz Goold (2001 Stockholm), Swedish Mission Council.
Brenda Lipson (2012), Farm Africa-Self Help Africa
Bruce Britton (2005), Oxford: INTRAC
Bruce Britton (2002), Stockholm: Swedish Mission Council
Bruce Britton (1998), Oxford: INTRAC
Britton, B., Lipson, B. & Cronin, O. (2015). A “think piece” commissioned by WWF UK
Britton, B., Lipson, B. & Cronin, O. (2015). For WWF
Bruce Britton (2010), Ubels, Jan, Naa-Aku Acquaye-Badoo and Alan Fowler (eds). London: Earthscan and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
Cronin, O. and Institute of Development Studies Training toolkit
Cronin, O. (2011). Report prepared for Comic Relief
Lipson, B. (undated) Common Ground Initiative and Intrac
Bill Sterland (2005) Oxford: INTRAC
Sometimes we come across outstandingly useful resources that have influenced our thinking or that we use regularly in our consultancy practice. Here are some of them:
Organization Development: A practitioner’s guide for OD and HR
Mee-Yan Cheung-Judge and Linda Holbeche (2011), Kogan Page.
One of the best introductions to OD around. Practical and easy to understand.
Growing Wings on the Way – Systems Thinking for Messy Situations
Rosalind Armson (2011), Triarchy Press.
The best and most practical book on applying systems thinking in practice we have found – brilliant!
Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems
Barry Johnson (2006), Amherst, Ma: HRD Press.
Sometimes an idea comes along that is so deceptively simple you ask yourself ‘Why didn’t I think of that?” Johnson’s book is based on one simple idea for exploring complex problems as dilemmas but its power is in how he helps us to do this in a practical yet profound way. You can find out more at Johnson’s website.
Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers and Changemakers
Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo (2010). Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly
Full of practical activities this book is an essential part of every facilitator’s toolkit.
The Barefoot Guide to Working with Organizations and Social Change
A great free (downloadable) resource for stories, pictures, strategies and some deep thinking on the values and practice of OD.
The Barefoot Guide to Learning Practices in Organisations and Social Change
More excellent free resources from the Barefoot Guide Collective, with lots of additional materials, exercises etc. available on the website.
Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening and Creating New Realities
Adam Kahane, (2004) Berrett Koehler
A personal account of Kahane’s involvement in negotiations such as South Africa’s transition from apartheid. Inspiring stories (and lessons learnt from) profound personal and systemic change.
Business Model Generation
Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur (2010), Wiley
A brilliant graphical guide to designing enterprises and rethinking outdated business models.
Adrian Cho (2010), Addison Wesley
“What can our organisations learn from jazz musicians?” is a question that Bruce has been interested to explore. There are lots of answers in this fascinating book!
Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making
Sam Kaner, et al (2007), Wiley
A classic that provides not just hundreds of tools but a thoughtful and detailed approach for building a lasting consensus in a group.
Participatory Workshops
Robert Chambers (2002), Earthscan.
A laugh out loud guide to ideas and activities for workshops including the classic chapter “21 Horrors in Participatory Workshops”.
Saturday 11 January 2020
Avoid this, by learning how to design and facilitate engaging, inclusive and productive online workshops. The long standing online training in virtual facilitation, on which Orla has been collaborating for the past 5 years, starts again on 16th January, and
