I’m pleased to say that the JRC of the EU Commission has just published a new fieldguide to managing in Complexity (and Chaos). Will be organising webinars to brief people on this next week and happy to handle any group or other requests for similar. You may agree or disagree with the underlying theory but this is significant for the wider complexity community in terms of acknowledgement

(As Dave Snowden said in the Complexity Explorers group on Facebook)

source:

JRC Publications Repository: Managing complexity (and chaos) in times of crisis. A field guide for decision makers inspired by the Cynefin framework

full document in source:

JRC Publications Repository: Managing complexity (and chaos) in times of crisis. A field guide for decision makers inspired by the Cynefin framework

Another one I’m squeezing in because, although it’s probably not possible to formally call this ‘systems thinking’, it has come up so many times for me in the last week alone that I feel a need to document this very significant source of inspiratoin for so many int the community.

Brainpickings: https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/12/05/david-bohm-on-dialogue/

Dialogue – a proposal (1991) pdf https://www.humiliationstudies.org/documents/BohmDialogue.pdf

Bohmian Dialogue: A Promising Pedagogy for Transformation Learning? McBride et al (2003) pdf https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/37774232.pdf

The Art of Dialogue according to David Bohm

On the foundations of meaningful communication (2019)

https://organicstrategies.de/en/the-art-of-dialogue-according-to-david-bohm/

Wikpedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohm_Dialogue

STAFFORD BEER masterclass Q and A – Cybernetics, VSM (Viable System Model), Chile, Allende etc – YouTube

STAFFORD BEER masterclass Q and A – Cybernetics, VSM (Viable System Model), Chile, Allende etc

Hairy Bear

Professor Stafford Beer responding to questions submitted after a masterclass in Liverpool. Unfortunately I do not know the date. This was recorded by Roger Harnden at Stafford’s cottage in Wales. I added the picture because I like it – taken at Aberaeron around 1976. “The purpose of a system is what it does.”

source:

STAFFORD BEER masterclass Q and A – Cybernetics, VSM (Viable System Model), Chile, Allende etc – YouTube

source:

visualcomplexity.com | About

source:

visualcomplexity.com | About

source:

Cybernetics, Computer Design, and a Meeting of the Minds – IEEE Spectrum

09 Feb 2021 | 14:00 GMT

Cybernetics, Computer Design, and a Meeting of the Minds

An influential 1951 conference in Paris considered the computer as a model of—and for—the human mind

By David C. Brock

AdvertisementEditor’s PicksThe Brain as Computer: Bad at Math, Good at Everything ElseFirst Programmable Memristor ComputerUntold History of AI: The DARPA Dreamer Who Aimed for Cyborg Intelligence

Suggested Wiley-IEEE Reading

Dynamic Spectrum Access Decisions: Local, Distributed, Centralized, and Hybrid Designs

In Paris. Exactly seventy years ago.

continues in source:

Cybernetics, Computer Design, and a Meeting of the Minds – IEEE Spectrum

A ‘characterful’ scan:

Click to access a165185.pdf

CybSights Insights: “What’s my Motivation?” A cybernetic question and its dramatic enactment – Prof Tom Scholt, Percetual Control Theory, Method of Levels

The Insights Series is an eclectic and learned collection of monthly events on the 4th Tuesday of each month hosted by the Secretary of the Cybernetics Society, Angus Jenkinson. Cybernetics is the science of design and achievement, the great fusion discipline of our time. In this session, Prof Tom Scholte, an acclaimed film and theatre director, Vice-President of the American Society for Cybernetics, and a Professor of Acting and Directing at the University of British where his centre deals with social challenges and conflicts in organisations. This business-savvy and human-centred immersive experience was a fine exploration of motivation and human behaviour through the media of drama, conversation and reflection. It also introduced the discipline of perceptual control theory (PCT), a discipline with affinities and connections to cybernetics. Discover the real nature of behaviour and how it is self- managed. Relevance to business and social practice is evident. The session was also held in association with IASCYS, the PCT network.

source:

CybSights Insights: “What’s my Motivation?” A cybernetic question and its dramatic enactment. – YouTube

full text of Challenge to Reason: http://www.ask-force.org/web/Discourse/Churchman-Challenge-Reason-1-223-1968.pdf

tribute on Ulrich’s page

C.W. Churchman | W. Ulrich | Ulrich’s Home Page: A Tribute to C.W. Churchman

Werner Ulrich’s Home Page:  C.W. Churchman
		A Tribute to C. West Churchman

source:

C.W. Churchman | W. Ulrich | Ulrich’s Home Page: A Tribute to C.W. Churchman

• John Pourdehnad
• Erica R. Wexler
• Dennis V Wilson

source:

Systems & Design Thinking: A Conceptual Framework for Their Intergration

Systems & Design Thinking: A Conceptual Framework for Their Intergration

• July 2011

• John Pourdehnad
• Erica R. Wexler
• Dennis V Wilson

• This paper explores the relationship between Systems and Design Thinking. It specifically looks into the role of Design in Systems Thinking and how looking at the world through a systems lens influences Design. Our intention is to show the critical concepts developed in the Systems and Design Thinking fields, their underlying assumptions, and the ways in which they can be integrated as a cohesive conceptual framework. While there are many important distinctions that must be considered to understand the similarities and differences of these concepts, gaining a complete understanding of these factors is more than can be covered in this paper. Nevertheless, the most critical classifying variable used to distinguish these concepts will be discussed in order to make their integration possible. This variable, the recognition of purposeful behavior, will be used to develop a conceptual vision for how a combined approach can be used to research, plan, design and manage social systems…Systems in which people play the principle role.

full article in source:

Systems & Design Thinking: A Conceptual Framework for Their Intergration

A revival of an old link from model.report –

https://model.report/s/np0uvr/a_collection_of_collective_systems_facilitation_and_delivery_techniques/comments/lizbqi

Because I’m again thinking about the links and connection between the MG Taylor Method and Future Search, and Beer’s Team Syntegrity, and indeed Tavistock and Trist and Jacuqes and post-WW2 army leader selection.

Anyway, some more collective/large group facilitation links:

ART OR ARTIST? AN ANALYSIS OF EIGHT LARGE-GROUP METHODS FOR DRIVING LARGE-SCALE CHANGE
Svetlana Shmulyian, Barry Bateman, Ruth G. Philpott and Neelu K. Gulri

Click to access add8f9b084b526100166a6971c0fbfa8bd15.pdf

(covers: AmericaSpeaks, Appreciative Inquiry, Conference Models, Decision Accelerator, Future Search, Participative Design, Strategic Change Accelerator/ACT (IBM), and Whole-Scalet Change)

US Patent application (2001, abandoned) for “System and method for augmenting knowledge commerce” – Matt and Gail Taylor
A system and method for addressing the paradoxes and problems associated with the Knowledge Economy, and the transition to it. The system and method of the present invention create a unified experience of work that scales from individual thought processes to the building and using of a global system of commerce. Described in several levels of recursion, the system and method of the present invention integrate, into a single system and method several discrete Sub-Systems and methods that comprise a myriad of now unintegrated tools and processes that are conducted across contradictory and non-collaborative environments.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040006566A1/en
(pdf) https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/11/a8/0b/73254778a0bb42/US20040006566A1.pdf

D5.1 Plan for Innovation Procedures in ROADIDEA (bear with me!) – part of a European funded project (5 million euros?!) to study the potential of the European transport service sector for innovations, to analyse available data sources, to reveal existing problems and bottlenecks, and to develop better methods and models to be utilized in service platforms. These were to be capable of providing new, innovative transport services for various transport user groups, while trialling a formal innovation process to achieve this. The central issue was the Innovation Process itself and its value in undertaking this important task. (Overview https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/project/road-map-radical-innovations-european-transport-services#tab-outline)
This is the innovation process: https://cordis.europa.eu/docs/projects/cnect/5/215455/080/deliverables/ROADIDEA-D5-1-Innovation-Plan-V1-1.pdf

‘Comprehensive review of collaboration technologies’ (it’s not): http://www.collaborationlabs.net/index.html

Dee Brook – Towards a practice of collaborative sustainable innovation design – foresight enhancement and the designshop process
Submitted to OCAD University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design in STRATEGIC FORESIGHT AND INNOVATION Toronto, Ontario, Canada, April, 2019

Click to access Brooks_Dee_2019_MDES_SFI_MRP.pdf

source:

Redesigning Our Theories of Theories of Change, Peter H Jones + Ryan J A Murphy (ST-ON 2020/11/19) – Coevolving Innovations

Redesigning Our Theories of Theories of Change, Peter H Jones + Ryan J A Murphy (ST-ON 2020/11/19)

 February 5, 2021  daviding 0 Comments

While the term “theory of change” is often used by funders expecting an outcome of systems change for their investment, is there really a theory there?

The November 2020 Systems Thinking Ontario session was an opportunity for Peter H. Jones (OCADU) and Ryan J. A. Murphy (Memorial U. of Newfoundland) to extend talks that they had given over a few days for the Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD9) Symposium.

The talks covered some early research and conversation on deepening the understanding of “theories of change”.  After our usual round of self-introductions by meeting attendees, the core content starts in the web video recording after 12m45s.

The video file is also viewable and downloadable at the Internet Archive,

The digital audio was extracted from the video, and transcoded to MP3.

Here is the original abstract from the Systems Thinking Ontario November 9, 2020, session.

— begin paste —

Redesigning Our Theories of Theories of Change

Peter Jones presents a customized talk from the RSD9 plenary session for ST ON. Ryan Murphy joins with a full presentation of his RSD9 talk.

We often use the model of “theories of change” to argue for the process by which envisioned change programs might achieve their goals. Essentially these are the working theories by which we explain the logic of system change outcomes, and we often include quasi-systemic logic models to communicate them. ToCs are as ubiquitous in social innovation and philanthropy as business models are in startups and VCs. “Systems change” has emerged as a major movement in the worlds of impact investing, philanthropy, and the NGOs they fund, and the proposals expected to advance studies and change programs embrace the language of the theory of change.

• Do Theories of Change reflect coherent models of change that we can observe or assess in real social systems? If so, are logic models sufficient (do they correspond to reality)?
• How do we Represent Transformation? Framework of four Sensemaking Logics
• What are the meanings, purposes, effectiveness, basis in systemics, their common applications, uses and misuses of Theories of Change?
• Can we produce better theories for change through systemic design rationale

Suggested pre-reading:

• Murphy Jones (2020). Systemic Strategy: Systemic Design Methods for Complex Systems Change. RSD9 Symposium.
• Abstracts from RSD9:
  • Peter Jones, “The Social Construction of Systemic Change: Our Working Theories of Change” (parallel breakout session, October 14)
  • Ryan Murphy, “Systemic Strategy: Systemic Design Methods for Complex Systems Change” (parallel breakout session, October 15)
  • Peter Jones, “Redesigning Our Theories of Theories of Change“, (plenary session, October 16)

source:

Redesigning Our Theories of Theories of Change, Peter H Jones + Ryan J A Murphy (ST-ON 2020/11/19) – Coevolving Innovations

source:

Gregory Bateson, Ecology of Mind and Double Binds – YouTube

Gregory Bateson, Ecology of Mind and Double Binds 458 views•1 Dec 2020 6 0 SHARE SAVE jude lombardi 264 subscribers SUBSCRIBED Two excerpts from the 2012 American Society for Cybernetics. One by Nora Bateson on the Ecology of Ideas and the other one man’s story about his experience with a Double Bind.

Gregory Bateson, Ecology of Mind and Double Binds – YouTube

Shape of things to come: From the ‘laws of form’ to management in the post-growth economy | ephemera

Shape of things to come: From the ‘laws of form’ to management in the post-growth economy

Organizing for the post-growth economyarticleAndré Reichel17-1reichel.pdfKeywords  post-growththeory of the firmsystem theorylaws of formNiklas Luhmannabstract

Departing from George Spencer-Brown’s Laws of form and the works of German sociologist Dirk Baecker, a formal model of the firm in the post-growth economy is developed. In following a post-classical approach – and some reference to system theory by Niklas Luhmann as well as the works on autonomous systems by Francisco Varela – we, first, show the explanatory power of Spencer-Brown’s indicational notation for conceptualizing organizational and managerial problem situations, thus contributing a novel approach to the theory of the firm. Secondly, model insights about the nature of the firm, its management, and its relation to a changing environment with limits to economic expansion and increased societal demands are contrasted with existing strands of more classical managerial research and their findings. Thus, it is possible to theoretically substantiate new perspectives on the future ‘hard core’ of management practice around the notions of ethics, values, and collaboration, while also describing the scope and direction of changes in the firm’s societal, economic, and ecological environments.

source:

Shape of things to come: From the ‘laws of form’ to management in the post-growth economy | ephemera

Eagle-eyed readers will notice that I am ‘clearing the decks’ today.

Linksy and Heiftez’s Adaptive Leadership is an approach which I see a lot of value in, and some risk. It’s not truly systems thinking at all, I don’t think – but is a relevant practice (arguably), and is used by many in a form of institutional structure ‘systems leadership’

Heifetz talking about leadership:

A four-minute overview from Adriano Pianesi (with dramatic music):

A Survival Guide for Leaders
by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky
HBR (June 2002)
https://hbr.org/2002/06/a-survival-guide-for-leaders

Leading with an Open Heart (2002)
(pdf) http://docshare02.docshare.tips/files/9240/92401968.pdf

Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis
by Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky
HBR (July–August 2009)
https://hbr.org/2009/07/leadership-in-a-permanent-crisis

Becoming an adaptive leader (an overview not by the originators)
(pdf) https://www.lifelongfaith.com/uploads/5/1/6/4/5164069/becoming_an_adaptive_leader.pdf

Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading
5/28/2002
It’s not enough to lead everyone out of the mud. As a leader you need to ask yourself—honestly—what you did to get everyone into a bad spot to begin with. In this excerpt from their new book Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading, two Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government faculty pool ideas to look deeper at the hard work of leading others.
by Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky
https://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/leadership-on-the-line-staying-alive-through-the-dangers-of-leading

Hume on identity over time and persons PHIL 20208 Jeff Speaks October 3, 2006 Hume on identity over time and persons

A Treatise of Human Nature (1739) Book I: Of the understanding Part IV: Of the sceptical and other systems of philosophy Section VI: Of Personal Identity by DAVID HUME This text is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN and may be freely reproduced. Paragraph numbering was not included in the original text and has been added for ease of reference.

David Hume on Personal Identity