Helping You Get To The Point
About
A note from Susanne
Welcome to InGeneral! This website’s name, just like my term “generalist,” is short for “Integrating Generalist.” That’s what I do—integrate bits and pieces of data from different sources into a “big picture” that makes sense. And I’d like to help you learn to do the same.
Generalists are found in every field, from medicine and law to engineering and IT. And in these days of specialists, they have gotten a bit of a bad rap. But a world without generalists is a world full of delays, runarounds, cost overruns, and frustration.
Don’t get me wrong—specialists are vital in today’s world. They hold the key to essential technical details. But the world also needs generalists who can sift through those details to find relevant information. We generalists have an exceptional ability to put the pieces together and evaluate their meaning, using critical thinking, wise consumerism, and common sense. We are able to translate the ideas of specialists into plain English. We get right to the point, uncover problems, and find creative solutions. We empower ourselves and others to make good decisions.
Referring to my own particular niche, I like to say, “I am not in public works, but I deliver complex construction projects. I am not an engineer, but I make roads work more efficiently. I am not an educator, but I contribute to quality education for many urban students from low-income families. I am not an architect, but I helped build my house. I am a generalist.”
In short, generalists bring clarity to challenging projects. As a result, good generalists are indispensable to the people around them, whether employed by a politician or a CEO. But the most valuable generalist you’ll ever meet is yourself. Apply these skills, personally and professionally, and you become empowered as the owner of your own life.
After more than 30 years as a generalist, I’m spreading the word: being a specialist isn’t always the answer. This website is here to teach you to integrate generalist principles into your personal and work life, no matter what your career or specialty is.
I hope you’ll get started today by clicking on the colored tab at the top of the page that best matches your area of interest. Or go straight to the articles and begin exploring. A world of solutions is waiting for you.
Meet Susanne Hogan, “The Generalist”
Susanne Hogan has more than 30 years of experience seeing the big picture. The founder of InGeneral, Ms. Hogan is also the president and owner of dsi Associates Incorporated, a construction management firm that makes public and private sector capital programs more efficient. She is a problem solver, a multi-tasker, a translator of data, a facilitator, and above all, a generalist.
Using her skills as a generalist, Ms. Hogan has streamlined important projects throughout the greater Chicago area and beyond, providing clarity for pubic policy makers and executives. Her clients have included the UNO Charter Schools, Chicago Department of Transportation, Harris Bank, Cook County (IL), Chicago Public Schools, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Illinois Toll Highway Authority, the Public Building Commission of Chicago, and US Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (NC).
Ms. Hogan is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where she received a master’s degree focusing on finance, economics, and public administration. Her bachelor’s degree, from Lewis University, is in management science/quantitative methods.
From 1999 to 2007 Ms. Hogan was appointed by the governor to serve on the Illinois Business Enterprise Council, which promotes the economic development of businesses owned by minorities, females, and persons with disabilities.
A long-standing member of several women’s business organizations, she is also the recipient of the Member of the Year award from the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association. Ms. Hogan is a member of the US Women’s Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Small Business Contractors, and WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business) National Council. In addition to her business pursuits, she has been an adjunct professor in the areas of government and business for Lewis University.