Hunger, Overweight & Food Insecurity

Robin A. Orr, Ph.D.University of Illinois ExtensionFood Science & Human Nutrition

Systems thinking

Effective systems thinking is required for leading in today’s world

We can use systems processes to address the issues of hunger, food insecurity and overweight/obesity

Start by drawing a picture of the organization of which you are a part

We often think of organizations

In terms of silos

Did anyone draw a map?

Did anyone draw communication or relationships between entities on their chart?

Systems thinking important

Think in terms of:ProcessesMapsRelationshipsBe a systems thinker

What systems allows you to do

When something goes wrong – hunger, food insecurity, overweight/obesity

Must look at the larger world

The larger system of which it is a part

Parts of a system

InputsEvery element affects whole behavior

ThroughputsParts are interdependent

OutputsEvery element affects whole behavior

FeedbackParts are interdependent

World of systems

Cannot control ManeuverSeek informationBecome aware of our assumptionsStay open to multiple perspectives

Assumptions about Hunger

Put on flip chart

Assumptions about Food Insecurity

Put on flip chart

Assumptions about overweight and obesity

Put on flip chart

Question Assumptions

WhyWhyWhyWhyWhy5 Whys

“The mere formulation of a problem is often far more essential than its solution. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination….”

Albert Einstein

Systems solving model

Identify the opportunity or challengeIdentify potential issuesPrioritize issuesIdentify strategies to address each

prioritized issueDevelop Action Plans for key issues

What we won’t get

Single solution

Right answer

Most problems do not have one right answer

Our challenge

To devise plans for addressing issues of hunger, food insecurity and overweight/obesity

Do we agree on this?

Okay – let’s go

Write one issue on a post-it note

Get a partner – share, combine, eliminate issues

Get with another pair, repeat

Put all post-its on the wall

Are all the key issues identified

What are we missing

What do we not know that we need to know to move forward?

How are we going to decide?

Decision-making processes

Democratic – vote and a percentage agrees

Consensus – all can support decision and agree to implement within their roles

Modified consensus – decision reached when 80% can support and implement

Which do you want to do?

Prioritize

Based on importance of stakeholdersBased on the ease or complexity of

resolving the issueBased on the political environmentBased on resources

VOTE

N/3

Key strategies

How do we approach each of the prioritized issues?

Action Plan

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Accountability

How will we measure our successesAs a communityAs a regionAs a stateAs a nation