We need systemic action informed by systems thinking to address the global challenges facing humanity. Alas, too many are focused on the thinking (and talk), not action. My aim for writing this is because I believe strongly in the potential of systems thinking for action. I don’t see much hope for humans if we can’t …
Systems Thinking and Systemic Action Aren’t The Same Thing Read More »
A new term has been circulating in policy circles that reflects a changing way of viewing conflict, crisis, and complexity: polycrisis. Let’s look at what it might mean for people looking to plan, evaluate, and act in a world filled with turmoil. Polycrisis is not a term that inspires much hope. I’m not one for …
Designing for living systems is an approach to creating things for a world in flux and generating benefit for it. In my last post, I used the term design for living systems to reflect a changing position in my design practice and one that I see reflected in the design challenges I see around me. …
Systems maps are useful for visualizing connections between ideas, actors, institutions, and activities. They are a means to showcasing relationships and boundaries: the things that make social life — community, markets, learning, ideas — what it is. Systems maps can be designed using many different conventions and methods, but the basics are pretty similar. The …
The design opportunities for a post-pandemic world require untangling many knots in our systems. With so much of the world locked down, shut in, or at least restricted in what they can do, there’s been some time to reflect on the state of things and imagine what might come next. The creation of this next …
Our understanding of situations are co-constructed and that means our future is, too. Shaping our future — at least one we want — requires not only thinking about our present situation, but our past, too. This means listening to the stories we tell ourselves and others — and paying attention to the ones we’ve missed …
‘New beginnings’ is a phrase that only works when both words are true and the systems around them support their realization. Change is easy to call for and promise, yet far more difficult to deliver. Among the greatest myths of behaviour change are the role individuals play in shaping their actions and the related outcomes. …
Systems change requires the kind of tools and mindset shifts that can move how and what we see to act better. We profile various strategies to help you do that.
Staying safe is about understanding systems that affect our choices, not just individuals. We need to design systems better if we want real change to take place.
When systems are changing everywhere the opportunities to direct some of that change to design the world we want has never been greater. Systemic design has been developing over the past decade from a set of loosely connected ideas drawn from different streams of systems thinking and the multidisciplinary field of design. Brought together, this …
