A discussion about internal controls came up recently which reminded me of some work I had done a few years back. In summary, the problem is that most internal control frameworks are designed for corporate entities and specifically US organizations. How applicable are they to a public sector context?
Continue readingAn Excel based tool which matches Who has right of access to What systems and Why this is the right decision.
Continue readingA decision request can help small non-profits (SNPs) make better decisions. The briefing note is discussed and the basis for a well-crafted decision.
Continue readingIn my ongoing effort to remember what I have read, some notes on Atul Gawande’s book, “The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right” [1].
Continue readingI recall sitting in a board meeting for a non-profit I was involved with years ago and the budget process came up. Specifically the word ‘budget’ meant to different things to different board members.
You would never confuse ketchup with the ketchup bottle. Ketchup is that blood substitute on your new white shirt while the bottle is the thing that slipped resulting in the white-shirt-blotch. If we can keep ketchup straight, why is it so hard with information?
Continue readingMost people have heard of the mnemonic SMART. What you may not know is that this heuristic will turn 40 next year. Written by George T. Doran, it was first published in 1981 [1].
I am brushing up on a few concepts and processes that I have used in the past and may very well need to use in the future. One concept concerned a business philosophy of Results Based Management (RBM) and a tool RBM uses for project design, the Logical Framework (LogFrame).
A comprehensive list of risk categories to support a definition previously provided. Categories can be downloaded via MS Excel.
Continue readingA survey of definitions for ‘risk category’ results in one that is organization focused: A risk category allows for the grouping of one or more risks in a manner that is meaningful to the organization and its key external-stakeholders such as investors, citizens, auditors. etc.
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Organizational Biology 