What This Is: A real-world guide to building a personal knowledge management system that actually works with AI and turns Claude from a chatbot into a genuine thought partner. The Real Problem I'm constantly synthesizing research, connecting patterns across projects, and developing frameworks that integrate insights from multiple
Briefing Checklists are a time-consume bane for many U.S. diplomatic staff. What if we could automate them? This has been the dream for many of us for a long time, but we've finally got the tools to do a first pass at a BCL very well. Over
Tradecraft
AI continues to grow at a dizzying pace. This beginner's guide helps diplomats get familiar with AI tools, regardless of their current proficiency.
Tradecraft
The Cynefin framework offers a diagnostic tool that helps leaders and teams recognize which type of challenge they face and select appropriate strategies for each context.
change management
The SCARF framework identifies five key domains that trigger either threat or reward responses in the brain during periods of change and transition.
First-hand review of Spain’s pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka—design, audience, programming, partnerships, and takeaways, with photos from the visit.
public diplomacy
The 28 core competencies for public diplomacy across five elements—policy, audiences, planning, management, and learning—to guide practitioner growth.
Monitoring Toolkit
Comprehensive PD monitoring toolkit—scope, purpose, and application; how to use logic models, monitoring plans, and AARs aligned with 18 FAM 300.
Monitoring Toolkit
Plain-language glossary for public diplomacy monitoring—definitions for AAR, logic model, indicators, outputs, outcomes, targets, and more.
Monitoring Toolkit
What to monitor in PD—selection criteria to prioritize activities, when to rely on existing frameworks, and examples of good candidates.
Tradecraft
What is a media tetrad or a McLuhan Tetrad?
Tradecraft
How developing PD Foundations at the State Department created a systematized diplomatic tradecraft and gave practitioners a unified framework for excellence.