Presentation details the Open University's Systems Thinking in Practice Masters programme along with examples of practice from STiP Alumni as showcased at the UK Public Sector Show April 2013.

1. The Open University
showcases
Systems Thinking in Practice

2. The Public Sector Challenge
COMPLEXITY
AND
UNCERTAINTY

3. The Systems Thinking Opportunity

4. Systemic
(epistemologies)
Systematic
(ontologies)
Start with a Situation? or System?
A choice to be made

5. Systems Thinking
in Practice
Postgraduate programme
Masters/ Diploma/ Certificate
Managing systemic change:
Inquiry, action and interaction
TU812
30 credits
TU811
30 credits
Thinking strategically:
systems tools for managing
change

6. 1. Complex situations or
Contexts of change
and uncertainty, with appropriate
space for emergence
2. People
or stakeholders as (systems)
practitioners, with appropriate
respect for autonomy
3. Systems and other conceptual Tools for
the purpose of effecting change, with
appropriate imagination for avoiding traps
(iii) reflecting upon limits on boundaries of
interrelationships and perspectives
(i) making sense of interrelationships
(ii) engaging with multiple perspectives
entities activities
Systems of interest perceived as
3.1 actual real world entities – e.g.,
accounting, health, or education
‘system’
(thinking about systems)
and/or
3.2 conceptual constructs for inquiry into
real world entities e.g., learning systems
(systems thinking)

7. System dynamics
• Understanding interrelationships & interdependencies -1
• Linear vs feedback systems thinking
• Power and modelling
• Causal loop diagramming
• Archetypes
– Fixes that fail
– Shifting the burden
– Limits to growth
– Drifting goals
– Escalation
– Tragedy of the commons
Some systems approaches -1

8. Viable systems model
• Understanding interrelationships & interdependencies -2
• System and VSM
– System 1 operations
– System 2 coordination
– System 3 delivery
– System 4 development
– System 5 policy
• Variety and recursion
• Systems in areas of practice
• Layered structures
• Management activities
• Viability: environment
Some systems approaches -2

9. Strategic options development and analysis
• Facilitating multiple perspectives-1
• Cognitive mapping
• Cause maps
• SODA analyses
– Domain
– Central
– Cluster
– Hierarchical
• Effective facilitation
Some systems approaches -3

10. Soft systems methodology
• Facilitating multiple perspectives-2
• Rich pictures: towards worldviews
• Analyses 1-3: what (intervention),
who (social), why (political)
• Simple systems – PQR
• CATWOE…
• Conceptual modelling
• Taking action
Some systems approaches -4

11. Critical systems heuristics
• Reference systems and boundary
judgements: ethics/ politics
• Stakeholders and stakeholding
• Boundary reflection: Botswana
• Boundary discourse: Guyana
• Significance in other traditions
Some systems approaches -5

12. A Model in
STiP –
Masters in
Systems
Thinking
in
Practice

13. TU812 Managing systemic
change: Inquiry, action
and interaction

14. TU812: Braiding
strands of inquiry
and linking with
your own
experience

15. Main traditions of theory and practice of managing systemic change drawn on in
TU812 (for examples of authors’ work mentioned see references)
Tradition Description
Living in
Language
Language affects how individuals understand interact. Social and
political dynamics of explanation become very important (draws on
Postman, Maturana)
Managing in a
climate change, co-
evolutionary world
The backdrop of human-induced climate change acts as a metaphor
for the many uncertain, complex, contested situations where
managing systemic change seems needed. Adaptation is seen a two-
way process between humans and their world
Systems lineages Many different influences have shaped contemporary systems
approaches including: practical holism, general systems theory,
operations research, complexity science, first and second order
cybernetics, interdisciplinary systems sciences

16. Systems Practice
as Juggling
An ideal type of systems practitioner (SP) is seen as a juggler of
‘being’ ‘engaging’ ‘contextualising’ and ‘managing’. Reflection on
the SP as juggler focuses on being ethical (draws on Open
University module team for T306 – managing complexity: a systems
approach, also Meadows.)
Systemic Inquiry Systemic inquiry is an approach to practice which is adaptive to
changing circumstances and draws on systems thinking (draws on
Churchman, Checkland and SLIM)
Systemic Action
Research
Concerns changing your situation for the better. Associated with
real-life issues. Researcher takes responsibility for their own
epistemology in a second-order cybernetic tradition (draws on Schön,
Ison and Russell)

17. Social learning
systems – early
traditions
Insights into (i) Government as a learning system, public learning,
how ideas of good currency emerge and the place of policy in a
learning system (ii) appreciative systems and social learning,
institutional and individual roles and the limits of Government
(Draws on Schön, Vickers, Blackmore)
Critical social
learning systems
‘The Hawkesbury tradition’. Developed in rural Australian context
of land and water catchment degradation, desertification, use of
natural resources, failure to manage climate variability.
Distinguished by valuing of epistemology and ethics and systemic
praxis – blending systems theory and practice (Draws on Bawden,
Woodhill)
Communities of
practice
The concept of a community of practice with an identifiable domain,
community and practice is used to consider the world as a learning
system, including design requirements and how learning systems
might be cultivated. Concepts of boundaries, identity, trajectories
and participation are seen as conceptual tools for CoPs. The ‘career’
of the concept is explored: CoPs as social learning systems, CoPs in
social learning systems, and the role of CoPs in developing a social
discipline of learning (Draws on Wenger, Snyder)

18. P = practitioner
F = framework of
ideas/theory
S = situation
M = method or
methodology

19. 1. Clarify purpose 2. Engage in
conversation
3.Appreciate multiple
perspectives
9. Monitor,
evaluate
7. Design actions
(personal or for policy)
6. Refine
5. Identify emergent issues
and opportunities
4. Introduce new concepts,
experience and evidence
Other likely outputs:
changes in
understanding
changed social relations
changed (new) practices
10. Redesign the
system based on
feedback
Prior
experience
of
participants
valued?
8.
Monitor
& adjust
System
maps…
Learning in Practice

20. Masters in
Systems Thinking in Practice
Examples from
STiP Alumni and Students
Many in the Public Sector

21. Systems thinking to improve
wellbeing and health
interdependencies
complexity
uncertainty
controversy
A big challenge
to improve
Systems thinking helps because it emphasises connections,
relationships and importance of appreciating multiple perspectives.
multiple stakeholders with
different perspectives and
interests.
Wellbeing and Health
Characterised
by
Involves
Study
Fellow
(2012):
Helen
Wilding

22. Many people already think
systemically
But the quality of that thinking can
be improved through awareness of
the concepts, approaches and tools
of systems
There's always,
always
another
perspective
Quite complex
multi-factorial
problems
Study
Fellow
(2012):
Helen
Wilding

23. We need ways of working that release the
systems thinking capacity within us
Constraints to
systems thinking
 Target driven
performance
 Standard project
methodologies
 Instrumental policy
approaches
 Debate and
conflictual
communication
Release our systems
thinking
 Purposeful concerted
action
 Contextualising systems
approaches to the task
 Intelligent, social
learning based policy
approaches
 Dialogue and inquiry
focussed
communication
Study Fellow (2012): Helen Wilding

24. Helping an organisation to avoid
frequent unnecessary restructuring
Action
Research
Introduce PVSM
&
Collaborative
Inquiry
Frequent Restructuring
• does more harm
than good
• reduces productivity
and profitability
• worsens employee
health and well
being
• decreases
motivation and staff
burn-out
Introduce
Staff to a
Personal VSM
Viable System
Model (VSM)
to appreciate the
complexity of an
organisation as a
system and potential
systemic failure
• Not used in
mainstream
• Not known or seen
as too complex
Robinson, D., Introducing Managers to the VSM using a personal
VSM, Kybernetes, 2013, Vol 42, Issue 1
• a gentle way to introduce a new model
• increases management buy-in to its
benefits
• appreciate organisational viability
• obviate a need for unnecessary
restructuring and reorganisation
Introduce Staff to a
Study Fellow (2012):
David Robinson

25. APPLYING STIP LEARNING IN THE NHS
TO FORM STRATEGIC PLANS FOR DISCHARGING ADULT ACUTE
PATIENTS FROM HOSPITAL.
Rich Picture
P (What) – Co-ordinate
& improve health and
social care support
Q (How) – By forming
joint strategic plans
R (Why) – To improve
outcomes and
reduce delays
Purpose (PQR)
Study Fellow (2012): Pauline Roberts

26. APPLYING STIP LEARNING IN THE NHS
TO FORM STRATEGIC PLANS FOR DISCHARGING ADULT ACUTE
PATIENTS FROM HOSPITAL.
 Efficacy – Reduced
incidents and
complaints
 Efficiency –
Reduced delays
 Effectiveness –
CQC and Scrutiny
feedback
Conceptual Map Outcomes
Study Fellow (2012): Pauline Roberts

27. MUNRO REVIEW

28. Our Strategic Partner Organisations
My Organisation
Systemic
Inquiry
Viable
System
Model
Soft
Systems
Methodology
ICT Provision
Enterprise
Architecture
New ICT
ProjectsNew Proje
EA Frameworks
New ICT
Actions
Strategic
Planning
TU812
TU811
Buss
UnitsBusiness
Units
Systems Practice as an Enterprise Architect in a
Telecommunications Company
Making
changes for
better
outcomes
Describing the
context
Investigating options
and moving forward?
Study Fellow
(2012):
Russell
Plummer

29. Using systems thinking in agricultural
biodiversity research for development
A Rich Picture An influence Diagram
Getting to grips with the
Study Fellow (2012): Arwen
Bailey

30. 1. Identify and
map ABD and
poverty
hotspots
7. Improve
capacity at all
levels to plan,
implement and
incorporate in situ
strategies
8. Engage
donors in
dialogue about a
global strategic
approach
6. Generate
evidence,
knowledge
products, decision-
support tools and
recommendations
2. Identify
strategic
conservation
portfolios for
selected PGR in
target areas
3. Assess
current status
of prioritised
PGR...
4. Synthesize existing
evidence/lessons
regarding
instruments,
incentives and
interventions
5. Conduct case
studies in target
areas, for
portfolio for
testing of
instruments, etc.
Define measures
of performance
(3 or 5 Es)
Adapt
strategy
Monitor and
evaluate
1. to 8.
Using systems thinking in agricultural biodiversity
research for development
An example a system of
interacting activities with
the emergent property of
the change we aim to see
Study Fellow
(2012): Arwen
Bailey

31. Study Fellow (2012): Bryan Hopkins

32. Collaboration in the Public Sector – A Rich Picture
Drawn using feedback from an Appreciative Inquiry (Vickers,1968).
Individual stakeholders described drivers and experiences of collaborative work, thus
enabling understanding of different ‘worldviews’.
Interpretation
• The left hand side depicts
statutory organisations and
their processes. It illuminates
the service ‘design mess’
described by ALL
stakeholders.
• All suggested incongruent
use of information
(computers), resulting in an
inability to see the ‘whole
picture’ and use resources
(money bags) effectively.
• the right shows the
community, including
voluntary sector.
• The gaps in the wall
represent opportunities to
engage, which were
described as being ‘by invite’
to tick boxes.
Study Fellow (2012): Bridget Brickley

33. System 5
(Governance)
System 4
(Intelligence)
System 3 (Management
and Delivery)
System 1
Delivery
System2
Monitoring
System2
Co-ordination
E
N
V
I
O
R
O
M
E
N
T
HardData
and
National
frameworks
andPolicy
Local
information
And
Tacit
knowledge
Viable Systems Methodology
Diagnostic of Commissioning Adult Social Care in a Local Authority
Analysis of Dialogue between system 3 and 4
• System 4 – Primary intelligence used is hard
‘summative’ health data.
• System 3 – procurement decisions are
primarily made using ‘soft’ local information.
• There is no real mechanism for feeding this
up to System 4
Suggestions
1. Develop a more holistic approach to feeding
up ‘soft’ (system 2) intelligence gained in
system 1 to system 4 .
2. Develop role of provider forums,
• widening the membership,
• to enable them to identify more creative
solutions to ‘gaps’, ‘changes’ and ‘challenges’.
• Thus being better able to meet the needs of
service users.
Study Fellow (2012): Bridget Brickley

34. Local Government
Community Engagement Workshop
• Community engagement for a shadow health
and well-being Board (HWB)
- why?; how? ; with whom?; when? what?
• Systemic and systematic approach
• Conversation mapping, starting with a proposition
• Internal discussions enriched through external perspectives
• Managed process in order to generate a range of ideas
Ison, R (2010)
Harnessing
community engagement to give the
general public influence
over decisions affecting the provision
and quality of health and care
services ….?
Study Fellow
(2012): Anne
Brinkhoff

35. Generating Ideas – Group 1
Transformation From dictating to working with
Weltanschauung
(Worldview)
Need public ownership in order to achieve real
change
Owner HWB members – personal responsibility
Customers Council X Public and Partners
Actors Everyone! Overseen by Healthwatch
Guardians HWB Members, MP, Press, Stakeholders
Environment Financial Resources, Human Resources
Time Constraints, Complexity
Sub-Systems
Purpose (PQR): A system to achieve effective dialogue with the public and partners (P)
by interactive, varied and consistent mean (Q) in order to achieve a joint understanding
with public and partners of the health and well-being needs of the population and what
needs to be done to address these (R)
Study Fellow (2012): Anne Brinkhoff

36. Transformation The public is not involved -> will be involved in developing the JSNA and
JHWS
Weltanschauung
(Worldview)
Such strategies work better if publicly owned
Owner HWB and constituent organisations
Customers The communities and stakeholders
Actors Partners (agencies- CCG/Las) and community (self help)
Guardians Healthwatch; HOSC
Environment Inadequate knowledge of target community
Resources: physical and financial
Sub-Systems Joint consultation between CCG/HWB
Written communication/on-line communication
Public meetings
Surveys
Using existing structures PPE groups
Social media
Purpose (PQR): A system to involve/engage with public (P) by various means (Q) in
order to enable them to contribute to creating conditions for people and their
communities to thrive and reach their health and well-being potential (R)
Generating Ideas – Group 2
Study Fellow (2012): Anne Brinkhoff

37. Systems Innovation