BetaGov Blog


Learning Corner: Learning from Our Peers

Posted on June 26, 2019     By Maureen Hillhouse and Angela Hawken


Office workers at a table problem solving

Haven't we all had someone in our lives whom we looked up to and tried to emulate? As children, this might have been a parent or older sibling, a teacher or coach, and as we got older, maybe a friend or even a boss or supervisor. The fact is that we don't have to navigate any aspect of life on our own. There are resources to assist you right in your neighborhood, your office, your agency! This is also true with your ideas for innovation. Not only can you depend on BetaGov to lend you a hand, but you have other Pracademics to learn from and lean on.

We've learned that peer-to-peer interactions are invaluable. While BetaGov can give you the benefits of our experience with field testing new ideas and our 30,000-foot view, your fellow Pracademics can tell you about their experiences with their clients, their experiments, and their organizations right from the frontlines. They can tell you about strategies for improving the field and suggestions for navigating the research process from idea development to dissemination. BetaGov can link you to others in your field, who are grabbling with the same concerns. And you can offer others the benefit of your experience.

Also recognize the influence you can have in motivating fellow Pracademics, simply by acknowledging and recognizing their work in innovation and testing. Even small gestures go a long way. It means a lot to receive an email or a note from a peer telling you they are impressed by your ingenuity or admire the work you are doing. More than anything, we have noticed that Pracademics value their peers' perspectives. Make another Pracademic's or innovative colleague's day by telling them how much you appreciate what they are doing.