You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


Background
==========

Capacity development is the process of enabling individuals or systems to recognize and solve their own problems, make informed choices, define priorities and plan their futures in a sustainable manner. This effort may be targeted to specific individuals, institutions, organizations, communities or entire nations. Similarly it may be targeted to specific tasks and needs or in broad terms at the overall strengthening of systems.

Traditionally, most of the efforts on capacity development in the past have been targeted at individuals, mostly through training. The training may be conducted in the form of workshops, seminars, short- and long-term professional courses or mentoring. However, this may not always be effective since such a trained individual without appropriate supporting structures and enabling environment may not be able to function optimally. A more effective, but not necessarily well-appreciated form of capacity strengthening is at institutional level, whereby efforts are targeted to strengthening policies, governance and programmes. Delivered in this manner, capacity development may not only be aligned to the existing programmes and policies, but also built along the existing supporting structures thus ensuring utilization and sustainability of the strengthened capacity.

A higher level of capacity strengthening is that of national or regional support. Such societal capacity building may involve national policies, governance, laws and regulations. This has in the past generally been very much neglected by many international development partners in favour of projects support. This omission is particularly in the area of research for health, which continues to be neglected, especially within the current favoured approach of general budget support to low- and middle-income countries. Although it may be politically correct to channel aid through general budget support and sector wide approach, quite often such support does not adequately reach health research sector due to many other competing needs. Moreover, there is no evidence to support that such approaches are effective and have a real impact in powering capacities \[[@B1]\].

Research and research capacity ownership and leadership
=======================================================

Strengthening of the research capacity for malaria must be holistic and viewed as part of the big picture in the development of capacity for research for health, which will in turn contribute to improving community health in general. Primarily, it is the responsibility of every nation to ensure that it can provide the best services including healthcare to its people. This will include having the required capacity in terms of personnel and infrastructure. Unfortunately, this is not often possible in most of the low- and middle-income countries, where due to lack of economic empowerment capacity development mostly depends on foreign aid. Unfortunately, left this way low- and middle-income countries will have no control in addressing to their capacity needs. For capacity development to be effective, the process must be owned and driven by those who need the capacity and tailored to response to their needs. Ownership requires active involvement including participation in decision making on the required capacity, investing on the capacity development processes as well as the utilization and retention of the developed capacity. Unfortunately, more often this is not the case as most of the low-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, grossly under-invest in health research, particularly on capacity development and depend on foreign aid. In many countries this aid may comprise more than 90% of the health research budget \[[@B2]\]. This unfortunately precludes researchers and policy makers from owning and driving their own national research agenda according to their needs and wishes. Moreover, this situation is neither uniform nor being equally addressed in all countries; with some more acutely affected than others. For example, within sub-Saharan Africa there is a great disparity in both local investment on health and in receiving foreign aid for health, often with conflict-affected fragile states that need more support getting the least \[[@B3]\]. This is a paradox, since it is well known that, because of their inadequate capacities, low and medium conflict-affected countries not only rely heavily on international aid \[[@B4]\], but also have worse development indicators compared to their non-conflict affected counterparts \[[@B4],[@B5]\].

Many developing countries generally lack broad-based research and scientific leadership to compete for research grants to initiate and manage research projects. Such lack of capacity greatly handicaps scientists from these regions to be in driving seats and own research programmes. This is a great disadvantage since it prevents those in malaria-endemic countries to truly set the agenda and help them solve their own problems. To be competitive, researchers from developing countries require capacity support in project writing, grant application and research project management skills. This should include training of the supporting staff in contract negotiations and in intellectual property rights management. Very often than not researchers and research managers in developing countries relinquish this to their collaborators in the north.

Product discovery and early phase research & development
========================================================

Another notable capacity deficiency in most low- and middle-income countries is lack of ability to participate in product discovery and early research and development. This includes basic research to discover new medicinal and biological compounds such as diagnostics, drugs and vaccines. Invariably most of all the current early drug and vaccine development prior to the first in man development phases (including those for malaria) takes place in the north. This stems from lack of personnel, sound regulatory framework and appropriate infrastructure including laboratory and good manufacturing practice facilities. Ironically, it is the same lack of such basic framework that undermines the development of the capacity that would free low-income countries from this situation. The lack of capacity to take part in early research and development of new products also translates into lack of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. It is hoped that the recently launched African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) whose mission is to promote sustainable product innovation to address African needs will mitigate this deficiency and stimulate drug discovery and development in sub-Saharan Africa. ANDI aims to achieve this by establishing and coordinating the formation of collaborative projects of African networks for research and development from product discovery to manufacturing including supporting capacity building. This will include providing support through direct funding, infrastructure strengthening, advocacy and fostering of public-private partnerships \[[@B6]\].

The dearth of capacity and activities in drug discovery and early development in developing countries is a mirrored in vaccine development. For example, the current norm in the malaria vaccine research and development pathway is to conduct all initial studies including first in man safety and immunogenicity studies (phase Ia clinical trials) in the north. This also applies for challenge model studies (phase IIa), which are now generally becoming a prerequisite for down selection of candidate vaccines to help in accelerating their development. The current costly and time consuming approach of conducting initial clinical trials in developed countries prior to moving on to endemic countries is partly due to lack of infrastructure, personnel and regulatory capacity to conduct and oversee such studies in endemic countries. To reduce cost and accelerate the development of malaria vaccine, it has been suggested that these earlier studies should also be conducted in malaria-endemic countries \[[@B7]\]. To overcome these constraints there is a need to strengthen broad reaching capacities including molecular biology, immunology and parasitology laboratory facilities, state of the art mosquito insectaries and competent ethical and regulatory framework.

There are also some important capacity gaps in the downstream end of research and development of products. These include project management and governance skills; data management including its ownership and utilization; and processing of vital laboratory assays. However, lack of capacity often relegates institutions from endemic countries that participate in multicentre studies to play peripheral roles, such as sample collection and processing, conducting of marginal laboratory tests and shipping samples abroad for more the more vital tests. These capacity gaps can however, be tacked with targeted capacity building. A good model that addresses this issue in malaria vaccine evaluation is the Afro-Immuno Assay (AIA) network. The network comprising of institutions from Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania and Zimbabwe in partnership with Denmark, Netherlands and France has developed standardized enzyme immunoassays, that ensure use of same reagents, protocols and statistical methods in the evaluation candidate malaria vaccines \[[@B8]\]. These include assays for the Glutamate-rich Protein (GLURP), the Merozoite Surface Protein 3 (MSP3), the 19-kilo Dalton region of the Merozoite Protein 1 (MSP1~19~) and the Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA1), which are among the current malaria vaccine development pipeline \[[@B8]-[@B11]\]. This network uses standardized protocols, common pool and sourcing of reagents, harmonized project management and centralized quality assurance and governance. The network also facilitates south-south mentoring, staff exchange and creation of a critical mass of scientists working together for a common goal. Such programmes that are owned and led by scientists from developing countries must be encouraged and emulated.

Malaria control, elimination and eradication
============================================

Since the announcement by Bill & Melinda Gate Foundation that malaria eradication is one of their goals \[[@B12]\] and the endorsement of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership on the elimination of malaria in countries where this is possible, there has been a rekindled interest in malaria control and elimination programmes. It is generally agreed that even with the currently available tools, national or regional elimination of malaria is probably possible, especially where malaria endemicity is low \[[@B13],[@B14]\]. However, in areas of high transmission regions this will require increased efforts such as scaling up of interventions and use of innovative control measures. This may include progressive containment starting with elimination in countries bordering high transmission areas and gradually moving to eliminate the disease in high endemic regions \[[@B15]\]. However, for this to be achieved human resource and infrastructure capacity with require to be strengthened. Skills and empowerment in data analysis, modelling and decision making will have to be improved and proliferated to support innovative control methods.

One of the innovative ways of strengthening malaria control and elimination is by the integrated vector management control. This comprises use of evidence-based decision-making; integration of different control measures; sector-wide collaboration within and outside the health sector; advocacy, social mobilization and legislation; and capacity strengthening to manage such programmes. Such capacity building should include the enabling of appropriate utilization of data in decision-making, and evaluation of the currently ongoing vector control programmes, such as use of insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor residual spraying; employment of additional vector control tools and other interventions such as case detection and treatment strategies; monitoring and evaluation of these strategies; and a continued global search and evaluation of new tools \[[@B16]\]. This will also require the development of essential physical infrastructure, financial resources and human capacity, at both local and national levels. One of the success stories emanating from this approach is that of the Zambia National Malaria Control Programme, which has expanded its vector control coverage and leveraged resources to develop a national capacity that has greatly improved malaria control in the country \[[@B17]\]. Similar success has been reported elsewhere in Africa \[[@B18]\]. It is therefore now very important as we come towards the "end game" and push for global and comprehensive malaria control, elimination and eventual eradication, due attention must be paid to the strengthening of the necessary capacity that is required to realize this important goal.

Innovative ways of capacity development
=======================================

In order to address some of these issues, it is encouraging to note that in recent times several international development partners and research funders have been adopting different innovative mechanisms for supporting capacity development. For instance in response to the regional disparity in capacity for health research and investment in health research in sub-Saharan Africa, the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials partnership (EDCTP) has launched Regional Networks of Excellence for conducting clinical trials \[[@B19],[@B20]\]. This scheme supports regional networks comprising various institutions of different strengths and weaknesses to collaborate in conducting clinical trials and research while supporting each other taking advantage of their strengths. This regional approach and partnering of institutions of varying strength, mitigates the negative effects of the traditional tendencies of supporting stronger institutions at the expense of the weaker ones. Other examples of innovative approaches towards capacity development include the Wellcome Trust African Institutions Initiative \[[@B21]\] and the recently launched Medical Research Council/ United Kingdom's Department for International Development (MRC/DfID) African Research Leadership Scheme. It is also very encouraging to note that many of these schemes have partnerships as the foundation of their programmes \[[@B19]-[@B23]\] and indeed some such as the EDCTP programme encourage ownership and leadership from partners in the south, which includes mutual decision-making in prioritization of the research agenda and capacity building activities \[[@B19],[@B20],[@B22]\]. However, if any of these measures are to be effective and sustainable they will require local commitment, ownership and investment. Thus, effective capacity building must be a shared responsibility that requires proactive involvement of both international development partners and partners from the south including from private sector. Since it is the developing countries that are going to benefit most from the developed capacity in their nations, it is appropriate that they should put more effort in building that capacity. This calls for a specific efforts to determine what is required and make appropriate investments including nurturing of a conducive environment to utilize, retain and. sustain such capacity. It must however, be emphasized that this should always be accepted to be long-term endeavour, rather than a quick-fix adventure.

Competing interests
===================

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Acknowledgements
================

This article has been published as part of *Malaria Journal* Volume 9 Supplement 3, 2010: Building Knowledge for Action: Proceedings of the 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Pan-African Malaria Conference. The full contents of the supplement are available online at <http://www.malariajournal.com/supplements/9/S3>.