March 27, 2023

Beware of the ‘ISLAGIATT’ principle

Wooden arrow pointing left with "No, this way" and right with "over here" in front of blue sky with white clouds

The ‘ISLAGIATT’ principle is a term coined by Marti Eccles, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Effectiveness at Newcastle University.

The letters stand for ‘It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time’.

This principle encapsulates an approach in which the intervention strategy is arrived at before a thorough assessment has been made of the appropriate behavioural targets and what it would take to implement and achieve change in these behaviours.

Instead, personal experience, a favoured theory or cursory analysis is used as the starting point for intervention design, which often leads the programme down a fruitless path.

Have you ever said ISLAGIATT about one of your learning initiatives?

How can you avoid it next time?

Maybe a better analysis up front, especially a proper Behavioural Needs Analysis (BNA), which is the best foundation for a well designed learning intervention.

Grab copies of my ebooks to find out how 🙂

My best wishes, Paul

Paul Matthews

CEO and Founder of People Alchemy

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