Books That Ought to Live

I am asked often for suggestions on readings for systemic design related topics. I also notice the lack of references in contemporary writing to watershed ideas and thinkers from just a few decades ago. As new generations of professionals and scholars begin exploring new or newish domains of interest such as design, design thinking, systems, systems approach, systems thinking et. al. it would be good to explore books and authors who have been left out of the canon of accepted texts for normative disciplines and professional fields. This article is a good reminder that there are books that need to be rediscovered even though they have been shunned by their own: Books that wouldn’t die
https://lnkd.in/gtmGXuC

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Design, Wicked Problems & Throwness

Horst Rittel is one of the seminal residents in my 'Berkeley Bubble'. Recently a friend and colleague sent me an article about ‘double-wickedproblems’ . I have become ever more aware of the increasing number of references to ‘wicked problems’ in all forms of media that seem to have missed Rittel’s deeper insights . This brought up the concern I have about the use and miss-use of the term ‘wicked problem’. The term ‘wicked problem’, first introduced by Rittel in West Churchman’s seminars at Berkeley, was in reference to his conceptualization of the impossible challenge of dealing with significant social issues using traditional, rational, ‘problem solving’ methods. In most cases what are miss-diangnosed as ‘wicked problems’ are actually complex or complicated problems that can be simplified or broken into smaller 'tame' problems allowing for a straight forward 'problem solving' approach to be taken. This approach is believed by many to be capable...

educational trends

As I work on starting a new school in 'systemic design' I have discovered that the trends against serious professional and scholarly endeavors are quite real—an extension of the American anti-intellectualism that fuels some of the political agendas in the US nowadays—probably not the best time to try something like creating a new educational experience. Still... This substack by Ted Gioia is an example of some of the trends against investing in serious educational/professional ventures: https://lnkd.in/gxSbniAg The challenge is to find those who do not want to participate in these trends. Gioia and others claim that they are out there. I believe that to be true. The question is how to network with them. They do not, by definition, reside in echo chambers.

Critical Systems Thinking

Michal C Jackson is a leading scholar in systems thinking, particularly Critical Systems Thinking . This video is highly recommended for those who have a serious interest in systems thinking. Critical Systems Thinking Michael C Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyOUlTmwel8

Accidental Vagrant

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