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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.
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The Open University
showcases
Systems Thinking in Practice
The Public Sector Challenge
COMPLEXITY AND
UNCERTAINTY
The Systems Thinking Opportunity
Systemic
(epistemologies)
Systematic
(ontologies)
Start with a Situation? or System?
A choice to be made
Systems Thinking in
PracticePostgraduate
programmeMasters/ Diploma/ CertificateManaging systemic change:
Inquiry, action and interaction
TU81230 credits
TU81130 credits
Thinking strategically: systems tools for
managing change
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
Systems thinking in practice: entities and 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)
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
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
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
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
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
A Model in STiP – Masters in Systems Thinking in Practice
TU812 Managing systemic change: Inquiry, action and interaction
TU812: Braiding strands of inquiry and linking with your own experience
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
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)
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)
Understanding practice …?
P = practitioner
F = framework of ideas/theory
S = situation
M = method or methodology
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 understandingchanged social relationschanged (new) practices
10. Redesign the system based on feedback
Prior experience of participants valued?
8. Monitor & adjust
System maps…
Learning in Practice
Masters in
Systems Thinking in Practice
Examples from
STiP Alumni and Students
Many in the Public Sector
Systems thinking to improve wellbeing and
health
interdependenciescomplexityuncertaintycontroversy
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 HealthCharacterised by
Involves
Study Fellow (2012): Helen Wilding
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 complexmulti-factorial
problems
Study Fellow (2012): Helen Wilding
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
Helping an organisation to avoid frequent unnecessary restructuring
Action ResearchIntroduce 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
APPLYING STIP LEARNING IN THE NHSTO 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
APPLYING STIP LEARNING IN THE NHSTO 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
MUNRO REVIEW
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
BussUnitsBusiness
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
Using systems thinking in agricultural biodiversity research for development
A Rich Picture An influence Diagram
Getting to grips with the complexity
Study Fellow (2012): Arwen Bailey
1. Identify and map ABD and poverty
hotspots7. 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
Study Fellow (2012): Bryan Hopkins
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
System 5 (Governance)
System 4 (Intelligence)
System 3 (Management and Delivery)
System 1 Delivery
System 2
Monitoring
System 2
Co-ordination
E N V I O R O M E N T
Hard Data and National frameworks and Policy
Local inf ormation
And Tacit
knowledge
Viable Systems MethodologyDiagnostic 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
Suggestions1. 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
Local GovernmentCommunity 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
Generating Ideas – Group 1
Transformation From dictating to working withWeltanschauung (Worldview)
Need public ownership in order to achieve real change
Owner HWB members – personal responsibilityCustomers Council X Public and PartnersActors Everyone! Overseen by HealthwatchGuardians HWB Members, MP, Press, StakeholdersEnvironment Financial Resources, Human Resources
Time Constraints, ComplexitySub-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
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 stakeholdersActors Partners (agencies- CCG/Las) and community (self help)
Guardians Healthwatch; HOSCEnvironment Inadequate knowledge of target community
Resources: physical and financialSub-Systems Joint consultation between CCG/HWB
Written communication/on-line communicationPublic meetingsSurveysUsing existing structures PPE groupsSocial 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
Systems Innovation