We’re Giving Away Five Diagnostic Tools to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19. Here’s Why.

Chances are that either you or someone close to you has had a COVID-19 diagnostic test. The test that I had was of the swab-up-the-nose variety. There has been a robust (and mostly healthy) debate around these tests over the last few months: How accurate are they? What is the science behind them? When should someone get one?

Diagnostic tests are not a new outgrowth of COVID-related life—according to one source there are more than 13 billion diagnostic tests performed each year in the United States related to people’s health. And there are certainly billions more if you include diagnostics in education, computer systems, and cars.  Diagnostics are so pervasive that we could say they are a normal part of everyday life.

At TCC Group, we employ a variety of diagnostics in our ongoing mission to collaborate with foundations, nonprofits, and companies to solve complex social problems. During “normal” times, diagnostics help organizations monitor program and organizational performance to enable ongoing adjustments. During crises like COVID, when the environment is increasingly complex, diagnostics help us home in on the things that we can actively understand and manage. A systematic review using a diagnostic can serve as a starting point for conversations that incorporate other types of information, leading to better planning for the “next normal.”

To further define, a diagnostic is a tool or test that provides a systematic examination of a defined and well-understood component within a broader system. The diagnostic should be able to deliver clear results within an actionable timeframe. When evaluating any given diagnostic, some researchers identify two primary components: accuracy and value. Accuracy looks at whether the diagnostic gives you the information it says it is giving you. Value is how the results of a particular diagnostic are combined with other information to lead towards improved decision-making.

Diagnostics don’t tell you what you should do, but rather give you more detailed information on a specific component. It is then incumbent upon you to integrate that information into broader strategy, management, and decision-making. As a result, when considering the use of a diagnostic, there are four ‘R’s you might want to consider:

• Relevance: Is what the diagnostic proposes to assess something that is relevant to my organization in the short-term? (i.e. we will be in a position to act on the information)
• Rigor: Is there evidence that the diagnostic will provide an accurate measure of the system component it proposes to measure?
• Reasonable: Is the cost (time and money) of doing the diagnostic commensurate with the value that my organization can expect to receive from the results?
• Responsibility: Is there a plan or process in place to help guide the use of the information that the diagnostic provides?

We’re delighted to share that the following five diagnostic tools are currently available: Convening Pre-Conditions Diagnostic, Relational Capacity Diagnostic, Values-Based Communications Diagnostic, the Core Capacity Assessment Tool (CCAT) Diagnostic, and the Foundation Core Capacity Assessment Tool (FCCAT) Diagnostic. If you or someone from your organization is interested in using any given diagnostic, reach out to us at info@tccgrp.com or fill out the form below.