Public Good Briefs
Short reads that each work one recurring leadership problem to a usable position. Five are live in the library.
Research & Insights
Useful thinking for difficult work.
The Public Good Institute develops applied research, briefings, tools and practical resources for people making decisions across public-serving systems.
Beyond Commentary
Research should help change the quality of the decision.
There is no shortage of information. The harder task is determining what matters, what it means in practice and what an organization should do next.
Featured Briefing
AI, Risk & Public Trust in Human Services
For public-serving systems, the question is no longer simply whether AI can be useful. It is whether its use can be governed responsibly.
This briefing examines human oversight, privacy, documentation, vendor risk, staff use, Indigenous data governance and the institutional questions organizations should consider before adoption moves faster than accountability.
Read the Briefing
Research Collections
Different forms. One practical purpose.
Reports
Deeper inquiry into issues shaping public-serving systems.
Tools & Frameworks
Practical resources that help organizations move from discussion to action.
Benchmarking
Where an organization stands relative to the field. In development.
The Annual Public Good Report
A yearly reading of what is changing across public-serving systems. In development.
Available Now
Published briefings, guides and tools.
Use these as board briefings, team learning resources, supervision tools, workshop pre-reading or a starting point for an internal review. Free to download.
Brief seriesPublic
Public Good Briefs
Five short reads for long problems — pilots, retention, records, public pressure, and services people cannot leave. Under ten minutes each, free to read.
Read the BriefsBriefingPublic
AI, Risk & Public Trust in Human Services
A practical briefing for organizations exploring AI adoption, oversight, human judgement, documentation, privacy and governance.
Read the BriefingDecision GuidePublic
The Human-in-the-Loop Test
A guide for deciding when AI can assist, when a person must decide, and when AI should not be used at all.
Open the GuideBriefingPublic
Public Trust Under Pressure
A practical briefing on trust, transparency, communication, accountability and recovery after difficult moments.
Read the BriefingBriefingPublic
Workforce Wellbeing Without Losing Accountability
For organizations trying to support people, reduce burnout, maintain accountability and strengthen service quality.
Read the BriefingBriefingPublic
Documentation Is Leadership
On defensible documentation, decision records, incident notes and reducing paperwork that does not improve care or accountability.
Read the BriefingToolPublic
Public Good AI Readiness Checklist
A checklist for organizations beginning to assess AI readiness, risk, staff use, governance and oversight.
Open the ChecklistFrom Reading to Your Own Position
Reading is one way in. Answering is another.
These briefings describe the questions facing the sector. A QuickCheck asks the same questions about your organization and returns a preliminary reading in about six minutes — free, and the fastest way to find out whether any of this applies to you.
Executive Intelligence
The Public Good Briefing
What changed. Why it matters. What leaders should do next.
A quarterly session for people responsible for public-serving organizations. Each one takes the developments of the last three months — regulatory, technological, workforce, institutional — and works out what they actually oblige a leader to do.
Not a summary of the news. A working session on what to change.
$495 CAD
Per session · non-members
Included with qualifying PGI membership.
Attend the Next BriefingResearch Agenda
Questions we intend to examine.
01
AI readiness in human services
02
Public trust and institutional accountability
03
Workforce sustainability
04
Documentation burden
05
Human-in-the-loop decision-making
06
Responsible technology procurement
07
Indigenous data governance
Use the work. Question it. Build on it.
PGI welcomes conversations about research partnerships, institutional learning, practical application and areas where better public-good evidence is needed.