When building digital products and services, we are designing complex systems.We need to think the customer experience through on several channels, figure out the system architecture, gain understanding through data and research, decide what to iterate... - not easy, but fun!
In this keynote talk given at Agile Cambridge 2016, Johanna introduces core systems thinking principles for designing better services, discussed how data and feedback mechanisms help us understand what is going on in a system, and addressed the challenge of bringing about change in a system.
2. âA system is
a set of elements or parts
often classiïŹed as its function
or purpose.â
that is coherently organized and
inter-connected in a pattern or
structure
that produces a characteristic set of
behaviors,
Donella Meadows
3. âSystems-based thinking is the process of
understanding how things inïŹuence one
another.Â
!
Then drawing on that knowledge to create
eïŹciencies of process, infrastructure and
communication.â
Abby Covert
4. HARD systems
SOFT systems
!
You canât âïŹxâproblems with systems
thinking, instead there are âsituations you
could improveâ.
Peter Checkland
5. Systems exhibit purposeful behaviour over time.
Systems get âsoftâ, unpredictable once humans
are involved.
22. 2)Feedback loops
A feedback loop occurs when a change in something ultimately
comes back to cause a further change in the same thing.
Reinforcing Loop
(positive loop)
births/year population
Population
Growth
Balancing Loop
(negative or goal-seeking loop)
heat
Thermostat
temperature
target temperature
temperature
gap
Viral engines of growth
27. Look at systems behaviour over time, rather than
focusing on single events.
!
Spot trends, and ask:
âŁWhat came before?
âŁWhat might happen next?
28. By the time you see what is going on in a
system, it has already happened - and you
are already a step behind.
31. Use this tool to
help you think
more systemically!
THE ICEBERG MODEL
EVENTS
What is happening?
PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
What trends are there over time?
SYSTEMS STRUCTURE
How are the parts related?
What inïŹuences
the patterns?
MENTAL MODELS
What values,
assumptions, +
beliefs shape
the system?
IncreasingLeverage
Download at: http://donellameadows.org/systems-thinking-resources/
32. Donella Meadowsâleverage points
10. Numbers (subsidies, taxes, standards).
9. Material stocks and ïŹows.
8. Delays
7. Balancing negative feedback loops.
6. Reinforcing positive feedback loops.
5. Information ïŹows.
33. Donella Meadowsâleverage points
10. Numbers (subsidies, taxes, standards).
9. Material stocks and ïŹows.
8. Delays
7. Balancing negative feedback loops.
6. Reinforcing positive feedback loops.
5. Information ïŹows.
34. For reference: Donella Meadows, http://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/
Structure of information ïŹows
âŁHow does information ïŹow through the system?
âŁWhat information is shown, how, and to whom?
âŁWho can manipulate and control information?
36. Donella Meadowsâleverage points
10. Numbers (subsidies, taxes, standards).
9. Material stocks and ïŹows.
8. Delays
7. Balancing negative feedback loops.
6. Reinforcing positive feedback loops.
5. Information ïŹows.
4. The rules of the system (incentives, punishment, constraints).
37. For reference: Donella Meadows, http://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/
Rules of the system
âŁConstraints, social rules, rules about roles of actors in the system
âŁWho can take which actions?
âŁHow can actors in the system engage?
38.
39. Donella Meadowsâleverage points
10. Numbers (subsidies, taxes, standards).
9. Material stocks and ïŹows.
8. Delays
7. Balancing negative feedback loops.
6. Reinforcing positive feedback loops.
5. Information ïŹows.
4. The rules of the system (incentives, punishment, constraints).
3. The power of self-organization.
2. The goals of the system.
1. The mindset or paradigm out of which the goals, rules, feedback structure arise.
40. Use this tool to
help you think
more systemically!
THE ICEBERG MODEL
EVENTS
What is happening?
PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
What trends are there over time?
SYSTEMS STRUCTURE
How are the parts related?
What inïŹuences
the patterns?
MENTAL MODELS
What values,
assumptions, +
beliefs shape
the system?
IncreasingLeverage
Download at: http://donellameadows.org/systems-thinking-resources/
42. Matthew Milan
âThe fundamental shift design will
need to navigate over the next
decade:
Going from designing for people to
designing with people at scale.â
43. Design as Participation |Kevin Slavin
http://jods.mitpress.mit.edu/pub/design-as-participation
CyneïŹn Framework|Dave Snowden
http://cognitive-edge.com/
Donella Meadows Institute
http://donellameadows.org/systems-thinking-resources/
Ask me anything: @johannakoll