Context-Driven Decisions

Wise decisions are fit to the specific context, not general theory.

Ironic though it is, I’ve sometimes felt a level of unthinking devotion to the idea of ‘data-driven decisions.’ Without intentional thought given to the context and process, ‘data-driven’ can end up just serving pre-existing assumptions, convictions or theory -- rather than the real needs of real people. For example, important efforts like vaccination campaigns can be quickly launched when informed by generic approaches and assumptions - but they will run into unnecessary surprise barriers when the important differences between specific demographics and micro-regions assert themselves. 

To help underscore the critical mindset, I suggest pursuing context-driven decisions -- decisions that serve the nuanced needs of diverse people living in varied contexts. Those pursuing context-driven decisions will still collect data, but will design their efforts to push beyond popular assumptions and theories to more deeply understand the nuances between people and regions.