Skip to main content

An Undisciplined Look at Systemic Design

 30 years ago I wrote an article that has remained one of the most enduring of all my writings.

reference

Nelson, H.G. (1994), The Necessity of Being “Un-Disciplined” and “Out of Control”: Design Action and Systems Thinking. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 7: 22-29. 

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1937-8327.1994.tb00634.x

[30 years later, we (RSD 13) asked Harold Nelson to revisit this article, written and published in Performance Improvement Quarterly in 1994—30 years ago. Eds.]

Original abstract

This paper introduces design, integrated with systems thinking, as a

necessary if not sufficient means for meeting the challenge of how to

create or recreate organizations and institutions that better serve

the needs and desires of clients, customers, and stakeholders in a

rapidly changing world. Design is a dramatically different way of

moving conceptual thinking into concrete action as contrasted to the

scientific or artistic traditions which are primarily designed to

describe or explain the natural or phenomenal world. The limits of

problem-solving strategies when applied to complex organizational

change leave design as the strategy of choice. The designer’s role is

animated by other-expression rather than self-expression. From

within this role, designers engage in the task of creating the un-

natural world by being un-disciplined using systems thinking and by

being out-of-control as part of the creative process of design.

An Undisciplined Look at Systemic Designing RSD 13 keynote

Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1029055154

YouTube

https://lnkd.in/gFgtMBDW

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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...
8 comments
Read more

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.
Post a Comment
Read more

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
Post a Comment
Read more