DSA & Q-Lab: 'In an Age of Answers, Questions Matter More Than Ever'

This afternoon I joined an online webinar organised by THE DIGITAL STATECRAFT ACADEMY:

'Gaining understanding by structuring inquiry: 
probing data with one right question after another is almost here'

The art, science, and practice of governing well in the algorithmic age

The Digital Statecraft Academy (DSA) is a global hub for cultivating visionary public leaders ready to navigate the complexities of data, AI, and digital governance. Backed by world-leading academic and policy institutions, DSA equips today’s leaders with the tools, knowledge, connections, and foresight to govern ethically, strategically, and resiliently in a rapidly evolving digital world.

 

There is a manifesto to read and endorse: and Ten Principles of Digital Statecraft

 

Also highlighted was Q-Lab 

About Q-Lab

Questions shape what becomes visible, what is investigated, what is funded, and ultimately what societies come to know. They are fundamental not only to scientific inquiry but to a wide range of sectors and practices—from education and journalism to policymaking, medicine, law, and business, among others.

Despite this foundational role, questions are seldom treated as objects of systematic study. Established fields examine intelligence, knowledge production, and decision-making, yet few, if any, take questions themselves as their subject.

How should we define a good question? Which questions are most likely to serve as stepping stones toward breakthrough insights? Who determines which questions matter most? In short, what do we actually know about questions?

Questions Lab (Q-Lab) is the first multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to establishing questions as a field of study and practice, understanding how questions emerge, how they evolve, which questions make the greatest impact, and how they shape the trajectory of knowledge across disciplines and generations, in order to help individuals and institutions navigate complexity, deliberate more thoughtfully, and set better priorities.

I look forward to more events in future.

 

Previously: Questions in eclipse : 'question'

DSA Webinar: Gaining understanding by structuring inquiry: probing data with one right question after another

Dear colleagues,

 

You are warmly invited to an online webinar hosted by The Digital Statecraft Academy (DSA), which may be of interest to those working with data and evidence in social policy.

 

DSA Webinar: Gaining understanding by structuring inquiry:
probing data with one right question after another

 

Date: Thursday 8 October 2026

Time: 15:00 BST / 16:00 CEST

Register: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/c6b38f8d-8f6c-4324-8c98-a73eeb36af86@f8ff7417-c954-4bf8-ba5a-1c103f38279d

 

Good analysis on clean data can still give a poor answer if the question behind it is wrong. This session looks at how we move from questions to evidence, in two steps.

 

Dr Stefaan Verhulst (Co-Founder, The GovLab at New York University and The Data Tank; Co-Editor-in-Chief, Data & Policy) will look at where questions come from, which questions get asked, and how governance priorities and political context shape them long before anyone opens a dataset.

 

Professor David Hand (Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, Imperial College London) will look at the next step: turning a real-world question into a statistical one that data can answer, and how this step can go wrong.

 

The session will be chaired by Dr Zeynep Engin, Co-Founder and Director of The Digital Statecraft Academy.

 

The discussion draws on Professor Hand's new book, What is the Question? Deciding What You Really Want to Know (2026)

 

The webinar is open to all. Register via this form. Please feel free to share this invitation with colleagues who may be interested.

 

Best wishes,

The Digital Statecraft Academy

 

My source: JISC SocioTech list - https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=SOCIOTECH

Arriving at Hodges' model via guided discovery ...

Following Brian Hodges’ lead in his notes, I have engaged a great many learners with a guided discussion through the following questions:

Questions	Answers	Outcome/Significance
Who do we care for?	The person, individual, patient, client, carer.The group, family, community, national/global population. The 'duty of care'. The Planet.	It is the individual (guardian) who consents to care. The subject at the top of the vertical axis of Hodges’ model is first identified. It is the person who consents to care (or their guardian); then the group occupies the bottom of the vertical axis.
What do we do to help deliver care?	We attempt - complete tasks and interact in ways that are both mechanistic and humanistic. We use procedures, equipment, devices, technologies, physical interventions; and the self – empathy, rapport listening, being present. Team work with effective communication, coordination and collaboration are also essential.	To care is to act. The horizontal axis is added, with humanistic to the reader’s left; and mechanistic to the right. The axes are then complete, revealing the model’s ‘fixed’ structure. Interdisciplinary can be identified and further discussed.
What skills and knowledge do we need to care for the individual, family and populations?	Here we are concerned with the content of the given situation. This can encompass the whole curriculum and acknowledges experiential learning.	The epistemological and ontological scope and scale of health is revealed from self to planet. The importance of context and situation can be stressed. Including first-aid and its rules and risk assessment. Discussion visits and demonstrates the significance of each of the domains of Hodges’ model and the spiritual to participants. The relevance of Hodges' model to the 21st century, as a bio-psycho-socio-POLITICAL model is emphasised.

Previously: 'Hodges' model'.

Nurses - Ask 5 complimentary questions

I received an email from RCNi subject heading - 'Q. What questions are nurses asking?'

An invitation to sign-up and ask five free questions: https://rcni.com/ask 

Question 1

Is there a model of care, or nursing that encompasses the sciences, mental health, sociology and political domains of care?

Several models of care and nursing frameworks integrate diverse domains beyond purely biological aspects, encompassing scientific, mental health, sociological, and even political dimensions. These models emphasise a holistic approach to patient well-being, recognising the complex interplay of various factors in health outcomes.

• Social Model of Health: This model focuses on salutogenesis, examining what contributes to health rather than just illness, by considering broad social, economic, environmental, and cultural influences on an individual's well-being .
• Person-Centred Nursing Framework: This framework extends beyond individual biological health to include the person's intricate cultural context, family, spirituality, and life experiences, defining health as encompassing intellectual, social, and spiritual dimensions .
• Biopsychosocial Model of Care: This approach integrates biological, psychological, and social factors to address a patient's holistic needs, moving beyond the biomedical model's sole focus on physical illness .
• Dual Registration Degrees: Educational programmes for nurses and social workers combine life sciences with social work principles, law, and policy, preparing professionals to understand factors influencing health, social justice, structural inequalities, and anti-discriminatory practises .
• Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Care Model: While not a nursing model itself, the MDT approach enhances patient care by integrating expertise from various professionals, including specialist doctors, nurses, psychology counsellors, dietitians, and pharmacists, to deliver individualised treatment plans and coordinate care .

Modern healthcare increasingly recognises the necessity of comprehensive care models that extend beyond traditional medical approaches. These integrated frameworks, including the social model of health, person-centred nursing, and the biopsychosocial model, provide a foundation for understanding and addressing the multifaceted nature of health, incorporating scientific, mental health, sociological, and policy-related aspects to improve patient outcomes. [Five references provided - hence poor formatting in transfer.]

Question 2

What model of care has the conceptual scope to critique parity of esteem in mental health nursing?

Critiquing the concept of parity of esteem in mental health nursing requires models that move beyond a purely biomedical focus to embrace holistic, person-centred, and culturally sensitive approaches. These models emphasise equality, social justice, and comprehensive care, addressing the historical imbalance between physical and mental health provision.

• Biopsychosocial Model: This model offers a conceptual framework to critique parity of esteem by considering biological, psychological, and social factors in a patient's health, aiming for holistic needs rather than just biological ones . It contrasts with the biomedical model, which has historically led to paternalistic decision-making in healthcare .
• Culturally Sensitive and Competent Care: Essential for critiquing parity of esteem, culturally sensitive care requires nurses to appreciate diverse cultures and adopt personalised, flexible approaches to mental health support . Culturally competent care, underpinned by equality and diversity principles, involves behaviours and attitudes that value patients' diverse backgrounds, improving satisfaction and outcomes .
• Person Centred Care: This approach is crucial for addressing the historical paternalism in healthcare, ensuring patients participate in decisions about their care and re viewed as individuals with unique experiences rather than just labels or symptoms . Recent mental health reforms, such as the Mental Health Bill 2025, aim to embed person-centred and equitable care further .
• Holistic Care: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2024) emphasises assessing spiritual needs to provide effective holistic care, recognising that "seeing the whole person supports better care" . This aligns with the biopsychosocial model's aim to meet holistic needs and challenges the organisational and practice divisions between mental and physical healthcare .

Effective critique of parity of esteem in mental health nursing necessitates a shift towards models that integrate biopsychosocial, culturally sensitive, and person-centred approaches. These frameworks are vital for fostering equality, social justice, and comprehensive care, moving beyond traditional biomedical limitations to address the full spectrum of patient needs. [Eight references.]

I'll leave it there. I think. PJ

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My emphasis: In the spring I tried to engage and see if I could write a short article about Hodges' model for RCNi. After an online chat and following up by email, Hodges' model isn't for them apparently. It was kindly suggested that I try another journal.

I must improve my prompt writing.

I must improve my prompt writing.

I must improve my prompt writing.

I must improve my prompt writing.

Nurse, you must improve your prompt writing ...

Learning Health Systems/AcademyHealth 2024 SUPPLEMENT now available

 Dear Readers of Learning Health Systems,

We are pleased to announce the first-ever Supplement Issue of Learning Health Systems! 

 

You may view the complete Supplement online at:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/23796146/2024/8/S1

 

Guest Editors for the 2024 Supplement were: 

Lucy A. Savitz,  Sarah M. Greene,  Michael K. Gould,  Harold S. Luft

 

The LHS/AH Supplement is the result of a collaboration and memo of understanding between Learning Health Systems (University of Michigan), AcademyHealth, and John Wiley & Sons.

 

***********************************************************

 

Guest Commentary

The Right Stuff:  Getting the right data at the right time and using that data to drive evidence-based practice and policy

 

Lucy A. Savitz,  Sarah M. Greene,  Michael K. Gould,  Harold S. Luft

May 27, 2024

 

Experience Report

Leveraging data to support health equity in an integrated delivery and finance system

 

Jane Kogan, Joan Eichner, Hyagriv Simhan, Erin Dalton, Alex Jutca, Beth Quinn, Jennifer Chaney, Anna Patterson, Donna Keyser

April 15, 2024

Continued...

Questions in eclipse

 Last Friday 9th I had a Zoom chat for 30 mins, regards Hodges' model with faculty in the USA.

We touched upon:

• background to Hodges' model
• courses taught across the water and interests
• overlaps, inc. person-centered care - socio-technical
• informatics & literacies
• maths/logic

As an outcome it was suggested I forward some questions I'm currently of Hodges' model. Questions that for me, are challenging, put me in the dark, and may not even be valid?

Going through my draft notes I picked out 20, beginning with the working title:

Hodges’ Model as a mathematical object and relational ontology:
category theory or category mistake?

1. Can it be argued there is what amounts to a care locus - that can 'locate' person-centredness?
   
   
2. Can the model's domains be seen as functions?
   
   
3. Are the domains placeholders?
   
   
4. Is there a case to test, and if logical implement co-domains (e.g. parity of esteem)?
   
   
5. Are there other 'structures' in Hodges' model,  for example L-shaped forms, that is relations that involve three domains and (seemingly) omit one?
   
   
6. Are there practical - case studies - that can be associated with such structures?
   
   
7. Can Hodges' model be considered as a single conceptual space (Gärdenfors), or a series of four? (blog posts)
   
   
8. Can Hodges' model be used to identify and apply threshold concepts (Meyer & Land)? (blog posts)
   
   
9. Can we argue that the structure of Hodges’ model as defined by the axes extent, provides and invites inverse relations?
   
   
10. Is Hodges' model as a structure only (a template) equivalent to an empty set (empty set as an initial object)?
11. Is this a mathematical analogue (being neutral) to a practitioner's unconditional positive regard?
    
    
12. Taking its axes and four (care/knowledge) domains can Hodges' model be reduced to a graph?
    
    
13. If Hodges' model acknowledges/incorporates Cartesian duality, are there Cartesian products?
    
    
14. In these Cartesian products are critical operations, e.g. relating to psychotropics - physical health; eating disorder - physical/mental health; complex emotional needs - policy (evidence-based care)?
    
    
15. If the model is inverted, mirrored ... what follows: is the structure - function - consistency retained?

    
    
16. Is Hodges' model 'closed' in comparison with Buzan's (open?) approach to mind-mapping?
    
    
17. There is an 'equation of time': is there an 'equation of care'?
    
    
18. Thought experiments: (semantic distance... cognitive linguistics)
    
    

    Which concept (INTERPERSONAL :: SCIENCES) is closer to the ‘INDIVIDUAL’ axes; which is closest to the ‘GROUP’ (SOCIOLOGY :: POLITICAL)?

    
    

    Which concept (SOCIOLOGY :: INTERPERSONAL) is closer to the HUMANISTIC axes; which is closest to the MECHANISTIC (SCIENCES :: POLITICAL)?

    
    
19. Role of 'types' in Hodges' model - that is, patient / model as a whole as objects (with identity)?
    
    
20. What significance can be gleaned given commonality between several mathematical terms, e.g. group, object, (co-)domain and Hodges' model?

I can no doubt structure - group these questions, and I've not picked out many concerned with Hodges' model as a set, or, as yet, those venturing into category theory. I am wondering, what the commutative law might tell us about holistic, integrated care, and parity of esteem when applied through Hodges' model? Also refining 3-4 case examples to explore and illustrate the same?

While it is maths that prompts this diversion, perhaps ultimately health care disciplines can determine its own formal approach that can produce its own context-sensitive rules, that straddle mathematics/logic and the humanities?

In initial emails, I'd noted the forthcoming eclipse across the USA. Checking, my interlocutor is just N of the path of totality (I wish!) for April's total eclipse. I'm enjoying the darkness here too.

https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when/

#TotalEclipse2024 #SolarEclipse2024

Nursing in the Digital Age survey

📢If you haven't yet completed our #Nursing in the Digital Age survey, please do and also share with your colleagues!

We would like to know how you use technology at your work and what effect it has had on workloads ⬇️https://t.co/Qxii5Pm7GY https://t.co/aYCbUsb8DF

— The Queen's Nursing Institute (@TheQNI) June 24, 2022

[and my source]

Nursing In the Digital Age 2022 (2) 

"Smart New World was published by the QNI in 2012 and again in 2016. Ten years later we think it is time to assess the level of progress and development in digital technology you use at work since the report was published. We are particularly interested in any effect (positive or negative) it has had on workloads. 

 We have created a survey to inform this work. It has 31 questions and should take around 8 minutes. Your contribution would be greatly appreciated. It contains no identifying information. Please address any queries to Alison Leary (alisonleary AT yahoo.com) or Dave Bushe dave.bushe AT qni.org.uk Thank you! SurveyMonkey is a third party provider. Please do not enter any patient identifiable or personal data other than your email address if you wish to share it with us at the end of the survey."

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NITDASoMe

Hodges' model: What is the Question? (ii)

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

What is the basis for meta-cognitive and meta-conceptual claims for Hodges' model? Does Hodges' model have a role in secondary education and if so, what is it? If Hodges' model facilitates reflection and is reflexive how is this achieved and demonstrated? Is Hodges' model a meta-semantic framework and if so, is this what provides genericity? What is the foundation of the axes in Hodges' model and what characteristics can be described?

Is Hodges' model safe? "Cold, Warm, Hot, Hotter!" nearer to 'navel gazing' than 'reflective practice'? Are 'concepts' sufficient to explain the structure of Hodges' model, and account for its claimed role(s) in assessment, planning, evaluation and assurance? Is Hodges' model a constant: as the contemporary model? Are 'individual', 'group', 'humanistic', and 'mechanistic' sufficient as conceptual anchors; and if so are they sufficient to give rise to the two continua that then invoke four knowledge (care) domains?

Can Hodges' model simultaneously preserve, protect and assure 'patiency' whilst also facilitating self-care? What forms of literacy are encountered by users of Hodges' model and are they accessible to the public, patients and carers? Hodges' model: Show me the praxis. What does Hodges' model say about holism (and consequently reductivism) and why should anyone listen?

Is there such a thing as a generic 'model of care' in a multidisciplinary world? Is there a 'logic' to the seemingly diametric opposition of 'power' as exercised here and the two individual domains in Hodges' model? If claims for Hodges' model of universality, genericity and global scope are 'true' is this also a risk for healthcare professions and specialisation, as it supports the 'universal worker' and automated processes?

 

Hodges' model: What is the Question? (i)

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

Can Hodges' model assist student nurses in assessment and  evaluation of their well-being through their course of study? What sort of 'spaces' do we find in Hodges' model and do they matter or meta?	What is Hodges' model? Is there a theory implicit in Hodges' model? What theories might underpin this 'model'? The Demarcation problem: Hodges' model - is this science or non-science?
Does Hodges' model display consistency when used within a specific cohort of students and across disciplinary student groups? What is a 'span' and 'career' in the 21st century, and why do they matter to the individual and group?	Created in the 1980s is there a political need for Hodges' model in the 2020s? What are 'legacy' problems in healthcare and nursing, and how can Hodges' model characterise them?

 

Prompted by post-graduate study and avoiding reference to methods and/or methodology, plus:

How come so many researchers can't clearly specify the questions they are trying to answer? How come so many people are happy to bandy methods and sample sizes around in research bids without ACTUALLY STATING THE QUESTIONS THEY ARE TRYING TO ANSWER? Drives me absolutely 🥜🥜🥜🥜

— Nicky Cullum 🇪🇺 (@nicolacullum) December 15, 2020

 

Over many years, many questions have arisen.

Resnik, David B. A pragmatic approach to the demarcation problem. Stud. Hist. Phil. Sci., 2000, 31: 2, 249-267.

Hodges' model - the pros ...

Having posted the cons, here are the pros with part of the initial twitter thread once again:

If it is not too confusing, by another - Peter Jones @innov8tor3

4 #h2cm can be a generic conceptual framework for all disciplines: health, education,
contexts: development, edtech, socio-tech*
So scope *global* (utopic?) – more pragmatically - a utility across communities of practice.
*Plus other domain 'bridges': https://t.co/SqzQQnYuKz

— Peter Jones (@h2cm) February 14, 2021

A further query followed:

"can be", but is it?

What would you say has stopped that from happening?

— Peter Jones (@innov8tor3) February 15, 2021

The short answer is clearly that Hodges' model isn't the generic conceptual framework, it follows that is not global either. The reasons why are many and I've posted about several over the years, indirectly and more recently in a more direct manner:

My Moon Mission? "The Stack"

Hodges' model and trial by vampires ... 

Continuing the post on 'cons' here are the 'pros' outlined again along the INDIVIDUAL - GROUP axis (some re-ordering may be needed). To state from the outset that research on Hodges' model is limited, but there is hope for a basic resource for all:

INDIVIDUAL

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

HUMANISTIC----------------------------------------------- MECHANISTIC

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

GROUP - COMMUNITY - POPULATION

h2cm complements mind-mapping 1. - a cognitive tool: the model has individual utility - formulating the - h2cm provides learners with a scaffold - h2cm can help integrate, understand forms of (health, reflective) literacy/informatics - overvalued? h2cm can encompass value & values - seek pilot study res care / student well-being - ownership: use 'health career model'? - reflection and critical thinking still vital - generation of ideas/associations IS the idea - situation/context bounds model use and scope of inferences - h2cm can be used for lifelong learning - h2cm's application changes with user's vocabulary - Peter's ready to pass this 'baton' - Yes, Nurse 1st -

- h2cm is easy to explain, best via workshop - there is a small bibliography [sidebar] - - 2020 two new independent papers (2. below) - research question is ongoing [ dhyb 3.] - there are ideas/theories h2cm can draw upon - invented here: NW could celebrate - literature still reflects on reflection - student nurses do 'hear of' models & theory - h2cm: as simple/complicated as needed? - - measure of holism, integration ...? - - can encompass all 'spaces' - h2cm remains a response to legacy issues - - person-centred care - - holistic care/ ['holistic bandwidth'] - - integrated care - 'exposure' to Drupal ongoing - learning+ - - Drupal distributions also an option? - 'Peter' is in 'Persistence' (Go Perseverance!)*

h2cm can assist in 1-1 collaboration - care planning - - case formulation - - and small group work - - re. ownership: more 'cost of adoption' not high - there is interest - Yes, time to stop blogging/tweeting - we need a tool to bridge lifespan, healthspan, health career, career span - many dialogues remain contested, patiency, recovery: try this 'space?' - h2cm can help represent the 'hidden' value of labour social, relationships, psychological -

- Safety via Assurance role? - - Spans Quality::Quantity of Care - sense of ownership - make it 'yours' - COVID-19 reveals need & role for h2cm - the model is CC [power to your elbow?] - funding for research would be a bonus - - partnership / studies always welcome - carry the model f/w to 'LeaveNoOneBehind' - - address SDGs at 'home' too - h2cm can also outline the scope of a discipline - an original purpose was in curriculum design - h2cm useful in evaluation/regulation - still seeking benefits: [yes] policy instrument? - reflection/r. practice stressed for nurse re-validation

Further additions / revisions may follow and to the cons post.

To expand on Drupal: the question of its appropriateness to build a new website/platform is not an omission. Drupal 9.0 - 10.0... appear to make the update process and overall experience for non-developers much more user-friendly. I'm looking f/w to a virtual DrupalCon North America in April.

A co-authored paper is on its third journal transfer. Then to address the two-part draft well advanced, related to a conference in July.

1. 

https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/search?q=mind-mapping

2.

Hayward, B.A. (2020), Mental health nursing in bushfire‐affected communities: An autoethnographic insight. Int J Mental Health Nurs. doi:10.1111/inm.12765

Iris Lohja, Yves Demazeau, Christine Verdier. A multi-agent system approach to dynamic ridesharing for older people: State-of-the-art work and preliminary design. 18èmes Rencontres des Jeunes Chercheurs en Intelligence Artificielle, RJCIA’20, Jun 2020, Angers, France. pp.52-59. ⟨hal-02897446⟩ 

3. Don't hold your breath!

*... and yes, at times my head hurts. 

⁺ ... I think and yes to be demonstrated. If not, I do have a 'requirement' and there may be value in that..?