The Synthesis Gap: reducing the imbalance between advice and absorption in handling big challenges
Good synthesis results in higher-value options and actions. This paper focuses on how governments should synthesise inputs from many disciplines and sources to make decisions – whether during a pandemic or to guide a major strategy. But the issue of what makes a synthesis good is much broader How should different kinds of data, insights, knowledge and interests be integrated to guide understanding or action – or to put it simply, how should we synthesise? (1) This paper draws