Practice-based Analysis

Driving change, by changing practice

Practice-based Research and Change

The Theory of Practice Architectures (created by Stephen Kemmis and further developed by countless other academics and researchers) provides a robust framework for understanding and transforming practices within organisations.. It focuses on the complex interplay between the cultural-discursive, material-economic, and social-political arrangements that shape and are shaped by everyday practices.

This theory offers a nuanced perspective on how practices are orchestrated and sustained within different contexts, enabling organisations to identify and leverage the underlying structures that influence their operations.

Through the Theory of Practice Architectures, we:

Focusing on practices as the primary unit of analysis.
Shift focus from individual attributes to practice attributes.
Highlight the significance of ‘day-to-day-ness’ and ‘ordinary-ness’ in work, revealing how work is truly done.
Identify key practices and practice architectures to optimise work.
Uncover latent forces affecting performance, revealing deep insights into work practices.
Transform performance by transforming the practices that constitute it.

Practice-based change alters what people do by changing the factors shaping their actions.

Theory of Practice Architectures

Using the Theory of Practice Architectures (TPA), we reveal deep insights into persistent performance problems and uncover latent opportunities within various organisational contexts. Organisations often invest heavily in capability, technology, and behavior analysis but overlook the hidden forces driving the practices that transcend these domains. This oversight can limit the effectiveness of traditional approaches.

This approach shifts the focus from the attributes of the individual, to the attributes of the practice itself. Instead of focusing on the behaviour, or the results, we look at what shapes behaviour.

Let's discuss how a practice theory-informed approach could be the key ingredient in your leadership and change initiatives.

Use-cases for Practice-based Intervention

Context - Focusing solely on skills and behaviours often fails to improve sales team performance. Sales outcomes are influenced by unseen, complex factors affecting behaviour and results.

Problem - Effective sales performance requires understanding the core practices and practice architectures of selling. Problems in these areas are often hidden and hard to diagnose.

Solutions - Identifying and articulating core sales practices reveals the invisible levers for optimising sales practices and achieving desired results.

Sales Leadership Context - Skills and behaviours of sales leaders are only part of the equation. Recognising and optimising the practice architectures shaping leadership enhances team performance.

Context - The belief that specific skills and behaviours create competent leaders is only partially true. This view ignores the complex social and systemic aspects of organisations. Even skilled leaders may struggle to lead effectively due to intangible and invisible 'forces' affecting behaviour, operations, and results.

Problem - Leadership development requires understanding the practices and practice architectures that influence how leaders lead. Problems in these areas are often hidden and difficult to diagnose.

Solutions - By identifying and articulating core practices responsible for key leadership results, we reveal the invisible levers that need optimisation to change leadership practices and achieve desired outcomes.

Let's work together to elicit your requirements in detail through a discovery call. Simply fill out your details below and we will be in touch right away.