After giving an overview of what system change is, the first section of this course explores the nature of change within complex organizations. The first thing for us to note is how complex organizational change is fundamentally different from our traditional linear conception of change management. In this section, we look at key models that will help us better understand this change process including the two loops model and adaptive cycle.
The second section looks at systems mapping. Systems mapping is the process of mapping out the key elements in the system and the relations between them that drive the system’s behavior and outcomes over time. We discuss how systems mapping can be used to build up a shared understanding of the structure and dynamics of the system we are dealing with.
The third section deals with futuring and envisioning. Systems change is about transitioning a system from where we are today to somewhere we would prefer to be in the future. To do this we need some insight into how the system is changing, where we might like to get to, as well as some story about how to get there. We need to understand how the system is currently evolving given current trends and processes of change and we need to have a vision of where we would like to be in the future.
The fourth section covers strategy. We discuss how the strategy of the systems changer is about making artful small interventions – based upon our systems map – that work to connect or disconnect links within the system, to dampen down or amplify certain aspects. This strategy should be working synergistically with our storytelling, which worked to shine a light on some aspects while not others.
The final section explores the nature of building collaborative ecosystems for change. As no one organization can change a system the aim of the system changer is to build ecosystems. This means making connections that facilitate the redirection of flows of resources and information into patterns of organization that are capable of responding successfully to the challenges at hand.
