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Systems Practice: How to Act: In situations of uncertainty and complexity in a climate-change world
This book shows how to do systems thinking and translate that thinking into praxis (theory informed practical action). It will be welcomed by those managing or governing in situations of complexity and uncertainty across all domains of professional and personal life. The development of capabilities to think and act systemically is an urgent priority. Humans are now a force of nature, affecting whole-earth dynamics including the earth's climate - we live in an Anthropocene or Capitalocene and are confronted by the emergence of a 'post-truth', 'big data' world. What we have developed, organisationally and institutionally, seems very fragile. An imperative exists to recover whatever systemic sensibilities we still retain, to foster systems literacy and to invest in systems thinking in practice capability. This will be needed in future at personal, group, community, regional, national and international levels, all at the same time.
Systems Practice: How to Act is structured into four parts. Part I introduces the societal need to invest in systems thinking in practice, in contexts of uncertainty and complexity epitomised by the challenges of responding to human-induced climate change. Part II unpacks what is involved in systems practice by means of a juggler isophor; examining situations where systems thinking offers useful understanding and opportunities for change. Part III identifies the main factors that constrain the uptake of systems practice and makes the case for innovation in practice by means of systemic inquiry, systemic action research and systemic intervention. The book concludes with Part IV, which critically examines how systems practice is, or might be, utilised at different levels from the personal to the societal.
Systems Practice: How to Act is structured into four parts. Part I introduces the societal need to invest in systems thinking in practice, in contexts of uncertainty and complexity epitomised by the challenges of responding to human-induced climate change. Part II unpacks what is involved in systems practice by means of a juggler isophor; examining situations where systems thinking offers useful understanding and opportunities for change. Part III identifies the main factors that constrain the uptake of systems practice and makes the case for innovation in practice by means of systemic inquiry, systemic action research and systemic intervention. The book concludes with Part IV, which critically examines how systems practice is, or might be, utilised at different levels from the personal to the societal.
374 pages, Paperback
Published August 24, 2017
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April 10, 2022
I really struggled with this book to be honest and have been wrestling with it on and off for a few months. The book is one of the recommended texts from the Open University 'Systems Thinking in Practice' course, and I have read and mostly enjoyed the other three (as someone with a keen interest in systems thinking but without the finance and other resources to commit to study reading and learning and practice is the best I can do).
The central premise of the book is, 'what do systems thinkers do,' or perhaps more precisely, 'what do systems thinkers think about why do systems thinkers do what they do'. As a concept, I find the book contains some thought provoking content which helps systems thinkers think about why they do what they do, but as a practical guide the book is significantly lacking. The author is open that the book stemmed from them thinking about this question and there is a sense that the book is one long unpacking of the authors ideas but it isn't a simple or easy read. The core ideas are good, but they are so hidden in long winded, inaccessible academic language.
I get it, systems thinking isn't always easy BUT the author acknowledges thinking systemically is actually quite intuitive for 'ordinary' people and yet this book fails to land with an any audience other than an academic systems thinking one. There is a certain irony, in that there is a recognition that now more than ever there is a need for thinking systemically and living with complexity and emergence and the book intends to be part of a larger plea for getting system thinking out of academia. This book would surely fail in this respect. I feel unkind saying this but I am not sure this book will advance the understanding and accessibility of 'why systems thinkers do what they do'.
One area where the book does succeed, is that each chapter has selected readings to illustrate the authors key argument. It's notable that all the readings are significantly more accessible than the core text and I really appreciated that the readings came from a variety of systems traditions. It validates the authors point that the core ideas are independent of the systems tradition of choice or method. In some respects this did give me greater confidence in, 'how to act'.
Of course, it wouldn't be an academic systems thinking book if it didn't utilise invented language from the systems community and that is the concept of an 'isophor'. If a metaphor is a similarity that allows us to compare one thing's qualities that is different to, but like another to help us understand then an 'isophor' is a separate thing that is alike to what is being described. So here the isophor of the juggler is used, with the idea that systems thinkers are not like jugglers, but they are 'jugglers' (as an aside remind me never to try and take on any Humberto Maturana - I don't think I'd get it ever!)
The chapters on the different 'balls' systems thinkers juggle at the same time, keeping them moving and in alignment with a focus on one in particular but an awareness of all of them was quite an evocative image for me. The four balls are 'Being' - an awareness of systems traditions and their awareness as being part of it and creating it, 'Engaging' - meaning how the 'real world' situation is engaged with, 'Contextualising' the situation and 'Managing' - how the situation and the practitioner manages their self and the situation they are in. Each ball is given significant discussion (perhaps too much) so there is plenty to try and get to grips with.
One thing that resonated with me quite a lot because I hadn't considered it in this way was the contrast between the systemic and the systematic and I was able to reflect on my own behaviours and practice and see that sometimes I think I am doing a) when really I am doing b).
So, I won't get into to much detail of the book, at times I was screaming, 'who edited this!' but despite it's claims I think that it kind of proved why systems thinking isn't making the impact it could. There are some really good ideas in here and plenty to reflect upon and explore but the difficulty I had engaging with it has made me a little more anxious about engaging with systems thinking rather than it being a call to action for the curious.
The central premise of the book is, 'what do systems thinkers do,' or perhaps more precisely, 'what do systems thinkers think about why do systems thinkers do what they do'. As a concept, I find the book contains some thought provoking content which helps systems thinkers think about why they do what they do, but as a practical guide the book is significantly lacking. The author is open that the book stemmed from them thinking about this question and there is a sense that the book is one long unpacking of the authors ideas but it isn't a simple or easy read. The core ideas are good, but they are so hidden in long winded, inaccessible academic language.
I get it, systems thinking isn't always easy BUT the author acknowledges thinking systemically is actually quite intuitive for 'ordinary' people and yet this book fails to land with an any audience other than an academic systems thinking one. There is a certain irony, in that there is a recognition that now more than ever there is a need for thinking systemically and living with complexity and emergence and the book intends to be part of a larger plea for getting system thinking out of academia. This book would surely fail in this respect. I feel unkind saying this but I am not sure this book will advance the understanding and accessibility of 'why systems thinkers do what they do'.
One area where the book does succeed, is that each chapter has selected readings to illustrate the authors key argument. It's notable that all the readings are significantly more accessible than the core text and I really appreciated that the readings came from a variety of systems traditions. It validates the authors point that the core ideas are independent of the systems tradition of choice or method. In some respects this did give me greater confidence in, 'how to act'.
Of course, it wouldn't be an academic systems thinking book if it didn't utilise invented language from the systems community and that is the concept of an 'isophor'. If a metaphor is a similarity that allows us to compare one thing's qualities that is different to, but like another to help us understand then an 'isophor' is a separate thing that is alike to what is being described. So here the isophor of the juggler is used, with the idea that systems thinkers are not like jugglers, but they are 'jugglers' (as an aside remind me never to try and take on any Humberto Maturana - I don't think I'd get it ever!)
The chapters on the different 'balls' systems thinkers juggle at the same time, keeping them moving and in alignment with a focus on one in particular but an awareness of all of them was quite an evocative image for me. The four balls are 'Being' - an awareness of systems traditions and their awareness as being part of it and creating it, 'Engaging' - meaning how the 'real world' situation is engaged with, 'Contextualising' the situation and 'Managing' - how the situation and the practitioner manages their self and the situation they are in. Each ball is given significant discussion (perhaps too much) so there is plenty to try and get to grips with.
One thing that resonated with me quite a lot because I hadn't considered it in this way was the contrast between the systemic and the systematic and I was able to reflect on my own behaviours and practice and see that sometimes I think I am doing a) when really I am doing b).
So, I won't get into to much detail of the book, at times I was screaming, 'who edited this!' but despite it's claims I think that it kind of proved why systems thinking isn't making the impact it could. There are some really good ideas in here and plenty to reflect upon and explore but the difficulty I had engaging with it has made me a little more anxious about engaging with systems thinking rather than it being a call to action for the curious.
Displaying 1 of 1 review