Adaptive Learning for Humanitarian Impact: Harnessing Real-Time Tacit Knowledge

What is the project?

We are working in collaboration with the Centre for Humanitarian Change (CHC) to support Adaptive Learning partners: GREDO, SADO, MCAN, ACTED, REACH, local NGOs, and other networks.

The goal is to embed a learning culture that helps humanitarian organisations adapt quickly to changing conditions by leveraging real-time, on-the-ground knowledge. In particular, the project focuses on the importance and role of tacit knowledge - the unwritten or undocumented form of knowledge and skills acquired through observation and practical experience – in humanitarian organisational learning.

Through workshops to generate insights and resources, this initiative will promote adaptive learning practices to leverage tacit knowledge to strengthen design and timeliness of humanitarian partnerships.

Why does this matter?

Humanitarian workers operate in fast-changing, resource-limited conditions where learning is essential, though often hindered by little experience of the methods and strategies that can ensure that tacit learning is used to learn and adapt effectively and in real time including:

Internal challenges: Slow adoption of frontline recommendations and difficulty embedding tacit learning in daily operations.

Sector-wide challenges: Limited collaboration, competition, and lack of access for local and national actors to key learning spaces.

This results in missed opportunities to leverage knowledge to inform decision making and action. By focusing on adaptive learning in Somalia, this initiative will support humanitarian actors adapt and innovate during crises, and in particular the role tacit knowledge can play.

What is the opportunity?

Each action provides opportunities to learn, adapt and strengthen responses. This initiative focuses on:

1. Facilitating real-time knowledge sharing: Workshops will help frontline actors learn how to share tacit learning insights and use them to adapt quickly.
2. Overcoming learning barriers: Sessions will identify challenges like cultural, language and operational obstacles such as time and propose solutions.
3. Creating adaptable resources: Insights from the workshops will describe strategies and tools that can benefit the broader sector.

By capturing and sharing these learnings, the project aims to strengthen humanitarian responses, foster collaboration, and support capacity building through a series of workshops and Learning Insights, which will help shape the development of an Adaptive Learning Strategy to guide future efforts.

To find out more about this project please contact us.

Resources