State of the Science Conference review

Over a month has passed since we introduced the concept of wisdom-based action, the three knowledge banks (emotional well being, care coordination, and parents' rights), and--the biggest hit of the conference--the 4Rs or wisdom cards.  All in all, I think the state of the science conference was a great success, although we could have used a second full day to continue discussions.  I think finding sufficient time is one of the biggest challenges we face.  Nevertheless, conference attendees shared a vibrant optimism about the future and the increased focus on providing information and assistance that is relevant and useful to families.

We also learned quite a bit.

• We discussed how information should be provided in multiple formats for the different learning styles and preferences of families.  One of the most interesting ideas was to make podcasts available by phone, since everyone has a phone.
  
• We were given some very sound and constructive criticism on the wisdom section of the website--get to the content quicker, write less academically, and provide information in smaller bites that families can more readily digest.
  
• Another suggestion was to start development with underserved groups; designing information resources for those who are hardest to reach creates resources that anyone can access and use.

These are just a few examples, and we have been working round the clock ever since (sometimes literally) to get the ball rolling and find ways to implement the good ideas shared at the conference.  Of course, we could always use more ideas and feedback, so check out the approach and materials we discussed at the conference at our wisdom-based action microsite and tell us what you think.