[And includes a bunch of useful links]

Professor of SystemsProfessor of Systems

I am pleased to report that today I retire from the Open University (OU) where I was appointed as Professor of Systems in 1994 (https://lnkd.in/g_G56AqM). Tomorrow I begin as Professor Emeritus within the ASTiP (Applied Systems Thinking in Practice) Group at the OU thus continuing my long association with one of the most substantial Systems education programs in the UK, perhaps the world (https://lnkd.in/g2mz5jcR ). Current program highlights include a taught Post-Graduate Program in STiP (https://lnkd.in/g_7_Xx2S), a new PG level Apprenticeship for the Systems Thinking Practitioner (https://lnkd.in/grYj9xyC) and an extensive array of research and scholarship (https://lnkd.in/gzhfR775 ).

Post | Feed | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7136176797989158913/

20 June 2023

https://www.edge.co.uk/news-and-events/blogs/the-ninth-essential-skill-systems-thinking/

23 August 2022 – Dr Theo Hacking, CISL’s Director for Postgraduate Programmes and Research Strategy, reflects on the need for clarity in the use of systems thinking by sharing some of the common misconceptions that can lead to systems-related terms and concepts being misconstrued or devalued by false expectations.

Systems Thinking – from rhetoric to action23 August 2022 – Dr Theo Hacking, CISL’s Director for Postgraduate Programmes and Research Strategy, reflects on the need for clarity in the use of systems thinking by sharing some of the common misconceptions that can lead to systems-related terms and concepts being misconstrued or devalued by false expectations.

Systems Thinking – from rhetoric to action | Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/news/blog/systems-thinking-rhetoric-action

Perhaps a fitting tribute to Lucy Loh, who tragically passed away in October, as per Patrick Hoverstadt’s obituary post just shared.

The paper is not yet available outside the paywall, but looks to be another seminal bit of work she was instrumental in creating.

Patrick Hoverstadt, Lucy Loh

First published: 21 August 2023

https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2949

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sres.2949

Back to basics: Developing systems methodologies from first (systems) principles – Hoverstadt – Systems Research and Behavioral Science – Wiley Online Library

[I was lucky enough to know Lucy, and marginally work with her through her partnership with Patrick Hoverstadt and involvement with SCiO. My comments, though, probably belong in their existing place as responses to this LinkedIn post from her long-time business partner (and great friend) Patrick Hoverstadt. I think this serves as an excellent obituary, including all the comments, responses, and reshares. If you wish to add your comments, I suggest you respond there].

Patrick Hoverstadt:

Sad to have to share that my long term business partner Lucy Loh died last week. I worked with Lucy for around 11 years, she wasn’t just very, very smart, creative – making substantial advances in several fields she worked in, she was kind, thoughtful, immensely hard working and professional, but she was also great fun to work with as several clients and colleagues have attested. Sadly, Lucy also had appalling luck health-wise with a series of accidents and spinal problems that left her in permanent pain and in a wheelchair for the last 5 years. Her overriding characteristic was I think the courage with which she faced her challenges and still managed to work both harder and smarter than pretty much anyone else I know. She will be greatly missed by family, friends, colleagues and clients. It was a privilege to know her for as long as I did.

Post | Feed | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7119593795985264640/

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  SCiO UK

SCiO UK Virtual Development Event – December 2023

Tue 12 December 2023 18:30–20:30 GMT

SCiO’s Development Event offer an opportunity to draw upon the collective expertise of SCiO members in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. By taking Development Events online, using the Zoom meeting platform, we aim to make them accessible to more SCiO members Development Events are both for members who are just starting out on a journey to explore Systems Thinking approaches, and for those who have many years of exploration and practice.

Members only; FREE; Online event; English; Book now

SCiO UK Virtual Open Meeting – January 2024

Mon 22 January 2024 18:30–21:00 GMT

Virtual Open Meeting: A series of presentations of general interest to Systems and Complexity in Organisation’s members. SCiO organises Open Meetings to provide opportunities for practitioners to learn and develop new practice, to build relationships, networks hear about skills, tools, practice and experiences. The agenda comprises a brief introduction and two speaker sessions (one is listed below), followed by our usual ‘later in the bar’ open chat for around 30-mins after speaker sessions. 

Running a systemic intervention in Government – a new practitioners perspective – Alison Guthrie-Wrenn
The second session for the evening will be announced as soon as possible.

All welcome,  FREE; Online event; English; Book now

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  SCiO Nederland

SCIO-NL monthly meeting (live in Vianen and in Dutch)

Fri 8 December 2023 11:30–15:00 CET

SCIO-NL komt elke 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen in Vianen (Hagenweg 3c). Er staan geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp

Hagenweg 3c, Vianen, Netherlands; All welcome; FREE; Dutch Book now

SCIO-NL monthly meeting (live in Vianen and in Dutch)

Fri 12 January 2024 11:30–15:00 CET

SCIO-NL komt elke 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen in Vianen (Hagenweg 3c). Er staan geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp. Toegankelijk voor iedereen die de jaarlijkse fee voor de live-bijeenkomsten (€50,-) hiervoor betaald. En voor gasten. Neem contact op via ed@doitogether.nl als je interesse hebt, maar nog geen lid van de club bent.

Hagenweg 3c, Vianen, Netherlands; All welcome; FREE; Dutch Book now

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  SCiO Belgium

VSM deep dive sessie 2 – De kunst van het ontwerpen van functies en eenheden – de “linkervleugel” van organisaties

Tue 12 December 2023 18:00–20:00 CET

Het Viable Systems Model (VSM) biedt een raamwerk voor het ontwikkelen van flexibele en aanpasbare organisaties. Alhoewel het in de jaren zeventig en tachtig van de twintigste eeuw is ontwikkeld door Stafford Beer, en intussen internationaal veelvuldig gebruikt wordt als hulpmiddel voor het begrijpen en herontwerpen van organisaties, is het in België weinig bekend. Als SCiO-België besloten we daarom om in het werkingsjaar 2021-22 en in het werkingsjaar 2022-23 er Deep Dive sessies aan te besteden. De eerste keer deden we dit aan de hand van een lezing van tekstfragmenten uit het werk van Staf… Read more

Kon. Astridlaan 144,  2800 Mechelen, Belgium; Members only; FREE; Dutch Book now

Open lezing Miguel Pantalon: Toolkit: The power of Meta Causal Loop Diagrams, applied to the circular economy.

Tue 9 January 2024 18:00–20:00 CET

The systemic toolkit is comprehensive. A causal loop diagram occupies a special place among them. Indeed, it helps to name the specific dynamics in contexts by exploring the dynamic properties associated with our concepts and critically questioning the positive and negative feedback mechanisms. In spring 2023, a working group led by Miguel Pantalon set about applying causal loop diagramming to the broad domain of circular economy, and more specifically the food system. This led to surprising insights that had hitherto remained beyond the scope of policymakers. But at the same time, it was an … Read more

All welcome; FREE; Online event; Dutch & English Book now

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   SCiO DACH (Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz)

Kybernetik-Stammtisch – Jahresabschluss – offene Beiträge   

Thu 14 December 2023 18:00–19:00 CET

Online-Jahresabschlussfeier für alle Mitglieder. Es besteht die Möglichkeit kurz zusammengefasste Ergebnisse der eigenen Forschung/Arbeit im Bereich Systems Practice des vergangenen Jahres den übrigen Mitgliedern vorzustellen.

Members + Guests; kostenlos; Online event; German Book now

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#inbox/FMfcgzGwHxqHPZxCSKvxFXflxZqtrqrN

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For Systems Thinking Practice APPRENTICES of all Providers

SCiO has opened up Cohort 3 (Apprentice Edition) of the Enhanced Learning Club. Here, we have created a safe and accessible space where apprentices can come together to explore systems ideas, concepts and approaches and, together, enhance our understanding and confidence. Others studying Systems Thinking are also welcome.

This is the place to ask the ‘silly’ questions, to discuss your difficulties, to share your ideas and interpretations whilst helping others do the same. In the ELC, there are no novices, and no experts.

If you’re interested in joining cohort 3 with fellow apprentices, please enquire here.

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Individual modules of professional development courses from the apprenticeship can be booked by anyone at commercial rates – see details here .

Happy Holidays!

Steve

SCiO – Systems & Complexity in Organisation

AUTHORSJay J Van Bavel, Steve Rathje, Madalina Vlasceanu, and Clara Pretus

Updating the Identity-based Model of Belief: From False Belief to the Spread of MisinformationAUTHORSJay J Van Bavel, Steve Rathje, Madalina Vlasceanu, and Clara Pretus

PsyArXiv Preprints | Updating the Identity-based Model of Belief: From False Belief to the Spread of Misinformation

https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/5n4fx

Post on LinkedIn from Jack Martin Leith:

Just discovered the John Heron (1928-2022; co-operative inquiry, co‑counselling, Human Potential Research Group etc.) archive:
https://lnkd.in/e5ydrbUj
The Complete Facilitator’s Handbook is on the list and available for download in its entirety (428pp):
https://lnkd.in/e23JXDxw
You can read about Heron’s three facilitation modes on the Newcreate website:
https://lnkd.in/eSNfuyXQ

Post | LinkedIn

November 28, 2023

By Toby Lowe

How measuring impact gets in the way of real world changeNovember 28, 2023By Toby Lowe

How measuring impact gets in the way of real world change – Integration and Implementation Insights

Martin Kunc

First published: 27 November 2023

https://doi.org/10.1002/ffo2.174

Integrating system dynamics and scenarios: A framework based on personal experience – Kunc – FUTURES & FORESIGHT SCIENCE – Wiley Online Library

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ffo2.174#

The proof establishes new conditions that cause connected oscillators to sway in sync.

Samuel Velasco and Paul Chaikin/Quanta Magazine

By Leila Sloman

Contributing Correspondent

July 24, 2023

Introduction

Six years ago, Afonso Bandeira and Shuyang Ling were attempting to come up with a better way to discern clusters in enormous data sets when they stumbled into a surreal world. Ling realized that the equations they’d come up with were, unexpectedly, a perfect match for a mathematical model of spontaneous synchronization. Spontaneous synchronization is a phenomenon in which oscillators, which might take the form of pendulums, springs, human heart cells or fireflies, end up moving in lockstep without any central coordination mechanism.

Bandeira, a mathematician at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, and Ling, a data scientist at New York University, dove into synchronization research, obtaining a series of noteworthy results on the strength and structure that connections between oscillators must have to force the oscillators to synchronize. That work culminated in an October paper in which Bandeira proved (together with five co-authors) that synchronization is inevitable in special types of networks called expander graphs, which are sparse but also well connected.

Expander graphs turn out to have a slew of applications not only in math but also in computer science and physics. They can be used to create error-correcting codes and to figure out when simulations based on random numbers converge to the reality they are trying to simulate. Neurons can be modeled in a graph that some researchers believe forms an expander, due to the limited space for connections inside the brain. The graphs are also useful to geometers who try to understand how to traverse complicated surfaces, among other problems.

Continues in source:

New Proof Shows That ‘Expander’ Graphs Synchronize | Quanta Magazine

https://www.quantamagazine.org/new-proof-shows-that-expander-graphs-synchronize-20230724/

Over 80+ of my favourite systems thinking resources — for the complete beginner, absolute expert, and everything in between.

TIJN TJOELKER NOV 28, 2023

∙ PAID

The Systems Thinking Starters KitOver 80+ of my favourite systems thinking resources — for the complete beginner, absolute expert, and everything in between.TIJN TJOELKERNOV 28, 2023∙ PAID

(1) The Systems Thinking Starters Kit – by Tijn Tjoelker

https://tijntjoelker.substack.com/p/systems-thinking-starters-kit

[What I said:]

I must admit I’m disappointed, Tjin. I know that my critique and recommendations were just one comment on your – as you say – viral LinkedIn post. But I hoped that from me or someone else you would have engaged with some of the points therein.

Here were my comments:

And of course https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/sk338l2kwzisua86j1gx1/SCiO-CF-Resources-v8-Oct2023.pdf?rlkey=l52h5h3wjvqrpw05klkvd4g45&dl=0

https://www.systemspractice.org/page/scio-competency-framework-professional-qualification

I think you’ve ended up with a toolkit that is flat – not engaging with some of the rich depth and complexity of systems | complexity | cybernetics – difficult – some of the Systems Dynamics stuff is amongst the hardest to learn and use well – and that includes a lot of interesitng stuff that doesn’t really relate to the field.

Anyway, I do appreciate all the work that goes into something like this (I’ve been working away at www.syscoi.com for years) and I will stay tuned – on the paid subscription – for a couple of months to see where yo utake this!

cheers

Benjamin

 November 23, 2023  daviding

 0 Comments

For the November 2023 Systems Thinking Ontario session, historian and policy advisor Dr. Michael Bonner was invited for an interview by Zaid Khan.  In organizing the sessions, we’re trying to avoid the trap of systems thinking becoming a discipline, through learning with a sweeping-in process.

The session opened on a map of The Sassanid Empire c. 620 CE, also known as Second Persian Empire, a high point for the Iranian civilizations before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th–8th centuries.

• Audio 15 minutes

Updated Wednesday, 23 March 2022

Peter Checkland recalls how a shortage of management education led him to develop his theories.

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/money-business/leadership-management/systems-explained-peter-checkland

Join us in person to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Buckminster Fuller Institute! A night of inspiration, innovation and community.

By The Buckminster Fuller Institute

Date and time

Friday, December 15 · 5 – 9pm PST

Location

Gray Area / Grand Theater, Mission Street, San Francisco, CA, USA2665 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94110 United States

Buckminster Fuller Institute 40th Anniversary Celebration

Join us for a spectacular in-person event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Buckminster Fuller Institute! This is designed as an immersive experience and will not be live streamed or recorded.

We are thrilled to invite you to the Gray Area / Grand Theater on Mission Street in beautiful San Francisco, CA, USA.

This milestone celebration promises to be an unforgettable experience filled with inspiration, creativity, innovation, and special guests! We will celebrate forty incredible years of Buckminster Fuller Institute and the transformative work underway heading into our fifth decade! We’ll also have updates on current projects to reach 100 million life-centered designers, regenerate bioregions, center indigenous knowledge in design, transform financial systems, engage with regenerative AI, uplift and build capacity for design scientists, support large-scale ecological restoration and more.

The event will feature sustainable local food served throughout the evening and a cash bar.

Friday, December 15Buckminster Fuller Institute 40th Anniversary CelebrationJoin us in person to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Buckminster Fuller Institute! A night of inspiration, innovation and community.By The Buckminster Fuller Institute54 followersFollowDate and timeFriday, December 15 · 5 – 9pm PSTLocationGray Area / Grand Theater, Mission Street, San Francisco, CA, USA2665 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94110 United StatesShow mapRefund PolicyContact the organizer to request a refund.Eventbrite’s fee is nonrefundable.About this event4 hoursMobile eTicketBuckminster Fuller Institute 40th Anniversary CelebrationJoin us for a spectacular in-person event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Buckminster Fuller Institute! This is designed as an immersive experience and will not be live streamed or recorded.We are thrilled to invite you to the Gray Area / Grand Theater on Mission Street in beautiful San Francisco, CA, USA.This milestone celebration promises to be an unforgettable experience filled with inspiration, creativity, innovation, and special guests! We will celebrate forty incredible years of Buckminster Fuller Institute and the transformative work underway heading into our fifth decade! We’ll also have updates on current projects to reach 100 million life-centered designers, regenerate bioregions, center indigenous knowledge in design, transform financial systems, engage with regenerative AI, uplift and build capacity for design scientists, support large-scale ecological restoration and more.The event will feature sustainable local food served throughout the evening and a cash bar.

Buckminster Fuller Institute 40th Anniversary Celebration Tickets, Fri, Dec 15, 2023 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/buckminster-fuller-institute-40th-anniversary-celebration-tickets-764894679577?aff=oddtdtcreator