SYSTEMS INNOVATION

Note: This website is used as a textbook for FSU’s System Innovation by Design Course.

Systems Innovation Overview

Life is complicated.

The challenges we face personally and as a people are complex with many interrelated variables.

In order to be successful, the solutions we design must consider all implications.

Systems Innovation - sometimes called Systems Thinking or Systems Practice, is an Innovation Method or Framework designed to address human-centered systemic problems with solutions that have maximum impact with minimum effort in a manner that avoids unintended consequence.

In this class students work in teams using proven system innovation methods to:

• Identify and frame problems that are systemic

• Investigate the nature of a system through ethnographic research

• Visualize important elements of a systems by creating a “system map”

• Explore dynamic cause and effect “forces” in a system related to the problem you are studying

• Identify “feedback loops” or “dynamic patterns” within a system where cause and effect patterns are self-sustaining

• Analyze the interactions of system components and determine where “leverage” may be applied to maximize system performance with minimum investment.

• Effectively tell the story of the system problem and proposed solution

Check out this “little film” about a big idea: Systems Thinking.

What is a system?

A system is an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something [Thinking in Systems, Donella H Meadows].

What is a human-centered system?

This course deals with human-centered system composed of people, structures, and processes designed to support human tasks or needs. Examples include transportation, housing, health, business, manufacturing, distribution, employment, government, education.

There are many types of systems. This course does not deal with technical systems such as computer networks, or engineered or manufactured physical systems such as cities, and highways. We deal in systems where humans are essential elements and related problems are vexing, complex and wicked.

What is a systemic problem?

Systemic problems are those that are related to larger systems, where causes are not easy to identify, and solutions may have unintended consequences.

Acumen differentiates between Clock problems and Cloud problems; the latter being systemic problems. Clock problems are mechanical, finite, predictable and controllable. On the other hand, cloud problems: infinite, ever-changing, unpredictable, and hard to control. Some people also call these problems ‘adaptive challenges’ or ‘wicked problems.

Systems Innovation Cycle

There are five stages to Systems Innovation:

• Frame the problem: decide on a societal challenge to tackle, determine if it is a system challenge, identify goals, and write a framing question.

• Explore forces: identify system forces that enable or inhibit the problem in the system along with causes and effects.

• Identify loops: consider causes and effects that are cyclic; creating feedback loops might spiral out of control (for better or worse) or have a stabilizing effect.

• Map the system: put it all together in a visualization called a Systems Map using free popular online software.

• Apply leverage: Analyze the system map and determine where there are opportunities for leverage (changes to the system) that will have the greatest impact on improving the system, with the least amount of effort and investment.

Systems Innovation Methods

Systems Innovation requires team work and time. Many methods are provided to accomplish the goals. This course involves teams of students learning and practicing the below activities.