Commanders Design Team 19

Just finished a practicum with the Commander’s Design Team for the US STRATCOM (Strategic Command) where another new design team is forming. It is great to work with the leadership of this group because they understand that design and systemics are more than that offered by fads and decoys carrying a label ‘design’. The context is challenging because a traditional military structure is not very amenable to new ways of working—such as designing or systemic designing—which are essential for success in a rapidly changing, complex world. The design projects are also challenging because of the scale and consequences of the STRATCOM mission. Great design challenge!

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the 'learning way'

the 'learning way' Mastery-Learning in Systemic Design Shuhari Aikido master Endō Seishirō shihan stated: "It is known that, when we learn or train in something, we pass through the stages of shu, ha, and ri. These stages are explained as follows. In shu, we repeat the forms and discipline ourselves so that our bodies absorb the forms that our forebears created. We remain faithful to these forms with no deviation. Next, in the stage of ha, once we have disciplined ourselves to acquire the forms and movements, we make innovations. In this process , the forms may be broken and discarded. Finally, in ri, we completely depart from the forms, open the door to creative technique, and arrive in a place where we act in accordance with what our heart/mind desires, unhindered while not overstepping laws." Shuhari (Kanji: 守破離 Hiragana: しゅはり) is an evolving Japanese martial art concept that describes the stages of learning leading to mastery. It has also been applied to other...

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...

certainty vs certitude

Certaintly and Certitude The necessity of well-formed questions "certitude leads to violence" - Oliver Wendell Holmes https://hnelson.substack.com/p/certainty-vs-certitude

Accidental Vagrant

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