Every question, and the ones people most want answered.

In practice

Under consideration

Joining once is relatively easy; coming back is a different decision. What happens during and after a first encounter that makes someone want to return—and eventually become a participant rather than simply a visitor?

In practice

We often consider whether someone fits a role, but less often whether a particular combination of people fits together. Which forms of compatibility—and difference—help people communicate, collaborate and perform well as a team?

In practice

LAMP — Life Actions Mathematical Planner

Our time is finite, but the people, places, possibilities and problems competing for it are not. How do we decide what deserves more of our time—and when to persist, redirect our attention, or let something go? For this experiment, I apply a LAMP, a repeatable decision-support process to compare possible actions against priorities, values, constraints, energy, future direction and the forms of connection that matter in a particular season of life.

In practice

Under consideration

Seeing someone regularly creates familiarity, but not necessarily friendship. What needs to happen between repeated encounters for a relationship to actually develop—and which conditions help people move from simply knowing one another to becoming friends?

In practice

Under consideration

If some people naturally connect more easily than others, should communities use that knowledge by design? An exploration of whether designing for resonance strengthens connection—or risks reducing difference, openness and the unexpected encounters communities also need.

In practice

Under consideration

An invitation gets someone through the door, but it doesn't guarantee they'll feel they belong there. What turns access into genuine inclusion—and what makes people feel recognized, valued and able to participate once they've arrived?

In practice

Under Consideration

A collection of people isn't necessarily a community. What transforms a group into something its members experience as an “us”? An exploration of connection, identity, participation, reciprocity, shared experience and the conditions under which community emerges.

In practice

Under consideration

Why do we immediately click with some people and not others? An exploration of the characteristics, contexts and interactions that predict interpersonal resonance—and whether we can know in advance who we're likely to connect with.

In practice

Under consideration

Much of adult life is organized around couples and families. What might it take for friends, chosen family or other non-romantic relationships to build a meaningful home together—and what social and practical structures would make that easier?

In practice

Under consideration

What transforms somewhere we live into somewhere we feel at home? An exploration of the people, conditions, experiences and attachments that create a sense of home—and what might be missing when a place never quite becomes one.

In practice

Under consideration

Many promising connections never become meaningful relationships. What causes some to develop while others plateau? An exploration of reciprocity, initiative, vulnerability, compatibility, circumstance and the other forces that move relationships forward—or keep them where they are.

In practice

Under consideration

We meet plenty of people, but call relatively few of them friends. What distinguishes a friend from an acquaintance—and when, exactly, does that relationship change? An exploration of how we recognize, define and experience friendship.