WELL Labs’ Values: Fostering Deep Empathy, Problem-First Thinking, and Scientific Excellence, Among Others
We codified WELL Labs’ values through multiple rounds of consultation with team members. These are specific to our organisation and ways of working. Therefore, universal values like ethics and decency are assumed as a given. We have strong policies against financial impropriety, conflicts of interest, and abuse of power, and expect the utmost integrity from our staff.
1. Deep Empathy
We work with many stakeholders. Their motivations, circumstances, and constraints may not always be evident and our assumptions about them might be untrue. Approaching individuals or organisations with empathy allows us to learn more about them, what they truly want, and why they hold the views they do. Done right, it leads to honest conversations and better outcomes for all.
2. Problem-First Thinking
Many organisations in the development sector follow a solution-first approach. They build groundwater pits or install check dams even though these might not address the challenges in a particular location. Often, the proposed solution is what the organisation can do well. This is called the “streetlight effect” after the apocryphal story of a man who was searching for his keys under a streetlight rather than where had lost it just because the former spot was well-lit.
If we thoroughly investigate the problem and ask what it would take to solve it, the answer might lie in an area like public finance or sociology, in which we may not have expertise. Accepting this and remaining rooted in the problem is important to arrive at the optimal solution.
3. Scientific Excellence
We follow the scientific method—formulating verifiable hypotheses, testing them through experiments, analysing the results, and accordingly, refining or discarding the hypotheses. Thus, scientific rigour and technical excellence are paramount. Our analyses, approaches, and solutions should be able to stand the test in front of communities and other experts. Regardless of the complexity involved, we should also try to convey our thoughts in a clear and simple manner.
4. Design for Impact on People and the Planet
Once we understand the problem, designing solutions requires us to think creatively about the broadest range of solutions and pre-empt the potential aftereffects of choosing a particular solution. No solution is perfect—it will rarely solve every problem for every stakeholder and there will inevitably be winners and losers. While negotiating these tradeoffs, we prioritise the wellbeing of the most vulnerable people and the environment. They should emerge better off from our interventions.
5. Frugal Innovation
There is a tendency in the nonprofit sector to conduct elaborate pilots that cost so much, they can never be replicated. To overcome this challenge, we focus on producing better, faster, and cheaper solutions that can actually be executed on the ground rather than languish in the realm of research. A frugal approach ensures that we quickly test solutions in real-world settings, prove their viability, and set them up for scale.
6. Active Collaboration
The problems we face are too large and complex for one organisation to solve, so we collaborate with a constellation of partners. Thus, effective collaboration is key to achieving our goals. Since we might have different backgrounds and experiences, our working styles and pace may not match. Equitably sharing resources and credit for the work can also be challenging. Active collaboration entails resolving or finding ways around these issues to work together for the greater good.
7. Bias for Action
There could be many reasons for why a certain goal might not get accomplished, but solving problems requires getting things done. Academia often critiques why certain things might not work well, but as the saying goes, “perfect is the enemy of good”. Bias for action entails finding a way to get things done regardless of the challenges involved or the potential deficiencies in our plan of action.