Sometimes an organization knows something is not working, but doesn’t know why.

A program may not be getting the results leaders expected. A change initiative may have stalled. Different groups may see the same problem in very different ways. Sometimes the problem everyone is trying to solve is not even the real problem at all.

Depending on where you sit, you can see the same situation very differently. Even when people want the same outcome, different assumptions, priorities, and experiences can make it difficult to agree on what is actually happening.

That is where I come in.

Through interviews, focus groups, surveys, document review, and facilitated conversations, I help clients bring those perspectives together, identify and synthesize the patterns beneath them, separate symptoms from causes and assumptions from evidence, and build a clearer picture of the problem.

With better diagnosis, they can make better decisions, and get a clearer sense of what to do next.

The Idea Behind the Name

Samvinna is an Icelandic word that means working together. I chose it because important organizational problems are rarely understood from one point of view. My role is to bring different perspectives together, look for patterns in what I hear, and help you and your team make sense of what is happen

How I Help

• Organizational Listening & Diagnostics

  When something is not working and the reason is unclear, I use interviews, focus groups, surveys, document review, and structured conversations to understand what people are experiencing and what may be causing the problem.

• Facilitation & Strategic Conversations

  I design and lead conversations that help groups work through difficult issues, hear different points of view, and make clearer decisions. This can include planning sessions, stakeholder discussions, or conversations about a specific problem.

• Learning & Program Design

  When an organization needs to create or improve a program, I start by finding out what people actually need. From there, I develop the structure, learning goals, sessions, resources, and practical tools that make the program work.

About James

I’m James Tomasson, PhD. I trained as a sociologist and have spent the past fifteen years helping people understand complicated problems and develop practical responses. My work has taken me across universities, healthcare, non-profits, and community organizations, usually as a researcher, facilitator, or program designer.

Start with a Conversation

Not every problem needs a large consulting project. Sometimes a first conversation is enough to clarify what is happening, consider a few approaches, and decide whether outside support would help.

If something in your organization is not working as it should, or you are trying to make a decision without the full picture, I’d be happy to talk.