Helen Palmer

Experience Designer, Questo

Why you want to transfer your knowledge to others

Thomas Edison offers wisdom when he says “I regard it as a criminal waste of time to go through the slow and painful ordeal of ascertaining things for one’s self if these same things have already been ascertained and made available by others.” I really do feel a sense of waste and selfishness if knowledge is not shared, especially with those who have a critical need.

Why you are excited/why you think it is a worthwhile use of your time to be part of Capability for Change

It’s like playtime for adults with a marvellous purpose! My multi-disciplinary capabilities (a rich combination of experience, knowledge, skill set, mindset and tool set) are being valued and utilised to make a positive impact. In the first instance working creatively and collaboratively in team design activities. And by creating something fresh and potent to serve individuals in organisations as they quest to develop their own change capabilities.

What your specialist areas of knowledge are:

  • Learning Design and Development
  • Learning Facilitation
  • System Design and Product Development
  • Business Architecture and Strategy
  • Change Management
  • Knowledge Management

Your favourite technique/belief about the success of change in an organisation

The biggest improvements come from small things done consistently over time in strategic places.

~ David Allen

Some would say – “don’t sweat the small stuff!” Other’s might say – “the devil is in the detail”. And like many ‘truths’, context matters and paradoxes persist. I do think there is a tendency in organisational change initiatives to overvalue and be seduced by big things that are showy and appear with a bang, and disappear as quickly in the smoke. Success that has staying power and affects truly important human things, can come from small things – if you have eyes to see and a willingness to accept, believe in and genuinely support such possibilities.

The experiences that have created this knowledge – organisations you have worked for; jobs you have had; countries you have worked in

Founder and Director, Questo, Australia

Global Community Director, ShareRing (cryptocurrency startup), Australia

Creator and Author, Self unLimited, Australia

Roundtable Facilitator, Innovating for the Future, Australia

Change Facilitator, Defence Science and Technology Group, Australia

Guest Lecturer, Monash University, Australia

Learning Designer, Capsifi Systems, Australia

Director of Learning, EA Learning, Australia

Change Strategist, Deakin University, Australia

Senior Change Manager, Monash University, Australia

Business Analyst, Ansett Australia Airlines, Australia

English Teacher, Someya Oka High School, Nagano, Japan

Interesting things you get to do because you enjoy sharing your knowledge – articles you have written; books you have written; events you have spoken at

My knowledge gets mobile and becomes available for others to draw upon and use in a variety of ways.

Articles I have written for Questo with a change and learning flavour (2016 – present) https://www.questo.com.au/articles/

Activity Cards I have written for team development ideas

https://www.questo.com.au/activities-collection

Learning programmes I have designed and facilitate for Questo

https://www.questo.com.au/learning/

A product range and body of knowledge including Book,  Cards, Podcast series, Articles, eLearning modules for Self unLimited about personal change (2017 – present)

https://www.be-selfunlimited.com/

Co-organising Cynefin Melbourne Meetup group (2018 – present) with monthly meetings for practitioners and change agents

https://www.meetup.com/Cynefin-Melbourne-Meetup-Group

Making guest appearances on other’s podcast series with a variety of themes

https://www.questo.com.au/resources/podcast-conversations/