Understood.org held its biannual Day of Understanding in January. The event brought the entire team together in person for a special offsite meeting. This gathering focused on how we can work collaboratively to have the greatest impact possible while creating positive change in our work.

The day was divided into three distinct modules: a thought leadership forum, a session on intervention design, and a workshop to help our team connect with our organization’s purpose. Below are a few key takeaways from the event.

Thought Leadership Forum: How do you go from a big idea to a scalable solution?

To begin the day, we heard from Dr. Sarah Johnson, CEO of Teaching Lab, a nonprofit specializing in curriculum-based professional learning for teachers using an evidence-based model. Dr. Johnson taught the team how to create a “theory of change” based on evidence and measure its impact through intervention evaluation. Doing so allows for validation and scalability.

Then, Charlie Doolittle, Head of Public Partnerships at Understood.org, joined Dr. Johnson for an armchair discussion. They talked about Dr. Johnson’s journey as a neurodivergent woman leader, the development of Teaching Lab, and what she learned along the way. The conversation was followed by a lively audience Q&A session.

Effective Intervention Design 101

Sarah Greenberg, the Vice President of Expertise & Strategic Design at Understood.org, led a 2-hour interactive workshop on effective intervention design. 

Greenberg noted that “intervention” can sound like clinical jargon, which may intimidate some. She clarified that it simply means anything we intentionally do to make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve. 

Greenberg focused on key concepts for effective intervention design to explain how we determine if interventions are helpful. She brought these concepts to life through real-world examples, guided reflection, and interactive practices.

Connection to Purpose

To finish the day, President and Founder of JLC Ventures Judy Jackson led a series of interactive activities featuring psychologist and Understood.org expert Dr. Ari Tuckman and Mark Walton, Associate Professor of Professional Practice in Media Management at The New School. The activities included group and individual work to better understand what motivates us and how to build effective teams to support our Understood.org values. 

To learn more about working at Understood.org, visit https://www.understood.org/join-our-team. To lend your expertise and to partner with us for future Understood.org events, visit https://www.understood.org/our-partners.