This book provides a basic introduction to Alfred North Whitehead’s Process and Reality. It shows the way beyond both reductive materialism and the traps of Cartesian dualism to a world of continual process and becoming, where each person relates to every other and to all of nature.

Many of societies’ most pressing social policy problems are wicked problems. While complex adaptive systems theory has been recognised as an appropriate way to address this type of problem, complexity-accepting strategies are difficult for public administrations because they are at odds with their current dominant logic. This paper describes the development and implementation of a diagnostic tool for tackling wicked problems that is underpinned by complex systems leadership theories and takes into account the current needs of government.

Complexity theories (CAS) and systems thinking (ST) have important differences. ST assumes that we can understand and model systems fully, while CAS acknowledges that complex systems cannot be fully known or predicted. In CAS, behavior is dispositional, meaning we can only see patterns in hindsight. ST has evolved to recognize that knowledge is distributed among participants, not centralized. Ultimately, both approaches aim to improve decision-making in complex environments.

In this blog, Thomas Aston discusses two methods for understanding behavior change: Outcome Mapping and the Actor-based Change (ABC) framework. Both methods focus on individual actors and their relationships, emphasizing that we can only influence their behavior rather than change the world. They encourage realistic expectations about what can be changed, highlighting the importance of incremental progress. Aston suggests that building and nurturing relationships is crucial for meaningful change. He also introduces the COM-B framework, which considers capability, opportunity, and motivation as essential for behavior change.

The author emphasizes the importance of small projects to address immediate issues and foster change from the middle and bottom of organizations. He argues that real problems are often faced by senior middle managers, not top executives. The text discusses managing complex systems by optimizing granularity, distributing cognition, and removing decision-making barriers. The author suggests that increasing interactions within a system can lead to unexpected and beneficial outcomes. Finally, he introduces three key aspects of complex systems: granularity, abstraction, and coherence, which he will explore further in the next part.

The System Innovation Initiative discusses the importance of adapting to change in complex systems. Christopher Columbus sought a new route but missed discovering new lands, while Amerigo Vespucci created new maps. Effective system change requires collaboration and open conversations among diverse players. Evaluators should not only assess past impacts but also help guide ongoing learning and adaptation. Shifting the context of how we evaluate and measure success is essential for meaningful change.

The UNDP held its first portfolio bootcamp to address complex challenges like climate change and urban development. Over 75 participants learned about applying a portfolio approach to development through hands-on exercises and case studies. The bootcamp emphasized the importance of recognizing discomfort in learning and building a supportive community. Trainers balanced simplifying concepts while maintaining their complexity to aid understanding. Moving forward, UNDP aims to offer online courses to make portfolio learning more accessible.

The UNDP team has created a new online course on portfolio design and management. This four-week course combines self-paced learning with live sessions for UNDP colleagues. The course aims to introduce systems thinking and the portfolio approach to tackle complex challenges. A pilot edition was conducted with 23 participants, providing valuable feedback for future improvements. The team plans to refine the course based on insights from the inaugural cohort.

Inner Ripple is a new initiative that focuses on inner-led change for personal and collective transformation. It highlights the connection between our inner experiences and the outer world, emphasizing that true change starts from within. The goal is to create regenerative cultures in organizations and society by expanding consciousness and healing disconnection. Inner Ripple encourages practices like mindfulness and emotional intelligence to navigate complex challenges. Join this journey to explore and co-create a better future together.

Edgar Morin emphasizes the need for a more complex understanding of systems and their interactions. He argues that traditional systems theory oversimplifies relationships by focusing only on the whole or the parts. Morin believes that systems are shaped by their interactions and that organization creates both order and disorder. His approach connects various perspectives and recognizes the interdependence of the observer and the observed. Ultimately, Morin seeks to understand the complexity of life without reducing it to simplistic models.

Any strategy for economic development is grounded in a theory of change, which requires an accurate understanding of the complex political economy. Traditional approaches often oversimplify this complexity, focusing on narrow questions or methodological purity, which policymakers find unhelpful. Yuen Yuen Ang proposes a new paradigm called “adaptive political economy,” which views institutions and economies as adaptive and interdependent parts of a political economy. This approach emphasizes the coevolution of economic and institutional changes, seeing them as mutually reinforcing. Ang’s work, including her books on China’s economic transformation, demonstrates the utility of this perspective by showing how local adaptations can drive development. This paradigm shift encourages a more nuanced understanding of political economy, acknowledging its complexity and adaptiveness.

Yuen Yuen Ang underscores a fundamental error in political economy: experts routinely treat living, complex, adaptive social systems as machine-like objects. She introduces an alternative paradigm – Adaptive Political Economy – that takes the adaptive nature of political economies as the starting point. Applying this paradigm to classic questions in development, she shows with examples from her work, can generate new conclusions and motivate new empirical agendas. Jean Boulton’s comments at 41 minutes and 25 seconds are also very much worth a listen.

In 2022, the author explored various systems change frameworks, focusing on their definitions rather than methods for implementing change. There has been a surge in new frameworks, often illustrated with nature-based graphics to represent systems. Each framework reflects the creator’s understanding of systems change at the time it was made. The author notes similarities and differences among these frameworks and plans to update their analysis in the future. Readers are encouraged to share additional frameworks that describe systems and systems change.

Doug Hofstadter discusses the nature of consciousness and self-reference in his work. He explores how the mind can create meaning and how this differs from artificial intelligence. Hofstadter reflects on the influence of cognitive science on his thinking. He emphasizes that human creativity is complex yet not as mysterious as it seems. His insights suggest a connection between symbols, meaning, and the essence of being human.

Three types of thinkers discuss the future of learning: a linear thinker, a design thinker, and a systems thinker. The linear thinker focuses on updating last year’s curriculum with new content and technology. The design thinker creates a flexible curriculum based on student feedback and emphasizes team-based learning. The systems thinker envisions a school where everyone works towards a shared vision, learning from a broad network. Each thinker has a unique approach, but they all agree that balancing these perspectives is key to addressing complex learning challenges.

Following June’s presentation that introducing behavioural system mapping by UCL’s Dr Jo Davan Wetton, Jennifer Macklin from BehaviourWorks Australia at Monash Sustainable Development Institute shared ways to incorporate a systems approach into behavioural science using behavioural system mapping. The presentation walked step-by-step through some ways to use behavioural system mapping to: understand a problem, identify and prioritise behaviours, analyse connections between different behaviours in a system, understand drivers and barriers, select intervention strategies, and evaluate interventions that might lead to desired outcomes.

Portfolio GPT is an AI tool created to help UNDP Country Offices with portfolio design and implementation. It was developed on UNDP’s own Azure cloud to ensure data privacy and customizability. The tool uses advanced technology to provide better analysis and reasoning capabilities. It is currently in the prototype phase, with plans for further testing and user feedback. The team aims to refine and expand Portfolio GPT as they learn more about its applications.

Brad Krueger and Meghan Adams shared insights on using AI in evaluation during a session with the NLP Community of Practice. They discussed how AI can assist in various phases of evaluation, from design to implementation and analysis. The authors suggested starting with major AI tools and adopting a practical approach to using them. They emphasized the importance of learning, experimenting, and maintaining data privacy. Overall, they encouraged evaluators to embrace AI to enhance their work and efficiency.

Award-winning author of The Web of Meaning and founder of the Deep Transformation Network, Jeremy Lent, relates how his discovery of systems thinking opened the door to a whole new way of making sense of the world and illumined his in depth exploration of what creates meaning. In looking into what forms concepts like God, soul, humanity, nature, and science, Jeremy came to understand the thinking that has led to the existential crisis we face now, then began to explore what it would take to break out of the worldview that has caused so much destruction on so many levels. Jeremy integrates systems thinking with concepts from evolutionary biology, neuroscience, ecology, and traditional and indigenous wisdom, forming a holistic view of science, where “maybe the distinction between science and spirituality isn’t really valid.”

Jeremy’s heartfelt intention is to act as translator—to make it enjoyable for people to explore difficult concepts like consciousness and evolutionary biology they might otherwise steer away from—as well as be a catalyst for large-scale transformation. His vision of a potential future “ecological civilization” builds on the evolutionary success of life itself—ecosystems living in mutual symbiosis—and includes the idea of “islands of coherence” which would provide a bridge from a disintegrating society to a new and flourishing one. Systems thinking, like indigenous wisdom, recognizes the deep connectedness of all things, a realization, Jeremy points out, that leads to the knowing that nothing is inevitable and the choices we make matter. Jeremy leaves us with a sense of agency and of liberation, as well as a sense of responsibility to work together in the shaping of a life-affirming, sustainable future. Recorded June 20, 2024.

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Theories of change (TOCs) are essential for guiding aid activities effectively. The Actor-Based Change (ABC) Framework helps address the complexities of development by focusing on the people involved. This framework includes three components: mapping the system of actors, understanding their behaviors, and designing interventions to create change. By understanding relationships and motivations, aid programs can be more responsive and sustainable. Overall, the ABC Framework aims to enhance the effectiveness of development efforts.

On July 12, 2024, 120 practitioners met in Birmingham to discuss putting relationships at the forefront of their work. They explored the difference between assumed and real rules that hinder relational practices. The gathering highlighted the importance of human connection over impersonal systems. Attendees shared ideas and decided to build an Academy for relational leadership. They emphasized that everyone is not alone in this effort and that collaboration is key to meaningful change.

Colombia is aiming for a Just Energy Transition, but many communities still face energy poverty. The Governance Action Hub held a workshop to explore how green energy investments can benefit local communities, especially in mining areas. Participants discussed the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders to ensure these investments are effective. They identified five key areas for ongoing support and action to maintain momentum. The goal is to create 20,000 Energy Communities by 2026, which requires careful attention to local needs and sustainable practices.

See introduction to part 1, 4 entries above.

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The UNDP, in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is working on improving Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation (MLE) practices for development initiatives. They are learning through research, community interactions, and pilot projects. Feedback from a recent workshop highlighted the need for practical entry points and a better understanding of the challenges in applying MLE. The team is testing new guidance with practitioners and adjusting it based on their insights. Future plans include refining this guidance and creating sector-specific resources while engaging with more practitioners.

Audrey Tang is Taiwan’s first transgender cabinet minister and a civic hacker. She believes the internet should promote inclusivity and democratize knowledge. Tang wants to combat misinformation and create a positive online environment. She has used digital tools to improve government transparency and public trust in Taiwan. Her dream is for a world where information is shared openly for the common good.

Arbie Baguios discusses the effort to address injustice and oppression in the development and humanitarian sector. He shares insights from his research on refugee camp economies, focusing on how people create new rules in challenging conditions. Baguios argues that refugees’ everyday resistance leads to “worldmaking in the margins,” where they form new institutions that enhance their self-determination. He emphasizes the need for aid actors to recognize this resistance as a form of agency. Ultimately, he believes these efforts can lead to a more just and equitable future.

The video by Marc Koenig teaches how to use the Tana Notes app for beginners. It explains how to create and manage nodes easily using keyboard shortcuts and mouse clicks. View options like zooming in on nodes and editing details are also covered. Users can add super tags for better organization and search functionality. Overall, the course provides helpful tips for navigating and utilizing Tana effectively.

Thomas Aston discusses the evolution of evaluation theory trees, highlighting efforts to update Marvin C. Alkin and Tina Christie’s work. Recent research shows a strong preference for utilization-focused evaluation among practitioners. The inclusion of Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Indigenous Evaluation reflects changing values in the field. Evaluation is seen as a value-based process influenced by differing perspectives and positionality. Methodological practices are also shaped by these values and reasoning, leading to diverse approaches in evaluation.

This article discusses the importance of understanding system financing needs for effective systemic investing. It highlights how investors often rely on familiar solutions instead of addressing specific financial needs for transformation. The author emphasizes the need to analyze financial aspects at different times: present, future, and during transitions. Understanding these needs can help shift focus from capital-centric to system-centric investing. Finally, the article raises key questions about how to conceptualize and quantify these financing needs amid uncertainty.

Funders across the country are embracing the power of ecosystems for social change. Philanthropy is embodying a powerful shift from being at the center of social change efforts to working in partnership with the broader ecosystem of stakeholders necessary to sustain lasting change. This is more than a shift in power between funders and grantees, but a strategic redistribution and application of power, including the power of others, across an ecosystem to create change. Join us for an interactive discussion with funders who are advancing community leadership and supporting the capacity of entire ecosystems to create change.

The author discusses how systems thinking often reflects a colonial mindset, focusing too much on objectivity and neglecting the social context. Many systems thinkers, especially from the Global North, overlook the importance of people, power, and purpose in their analyses. This leads to interventions that may be ineffective or harmful in local contexts, particularly in the Global South. The author argues for a more inclusive approach that considers indigenous knowledge and the complexities of social systems. By asking critical questions, systems thinkers can move towards a more equitable and effective practice.

Susan Campbell’s mission is to help people become “evolutionary agents” who recognize and confront the challenges facing humanity. She emphasizes the importance of seeking feedback and learning from our mistakes to improve ourselves and our society. Campbell encourages individuals to express unique perspectives, even in the face of conformity pressure. She believes that openly sharing views can enhance understanding and problem-solving skills among people. Ultimately, she advocates for a more authentic way of communicating and connecting with others to foster personal and collective growth.

“Power to the People” by Danny Sriskandarajah is an optimistic call for social change in the 21st century. The book discusses reimagining democracy, democratizing economies, and improving global governance. Sriskandarajah emphasizes the importance of citizen participation and digital rights in shaping a better future. While some chapters are strong, he appears less passionate about economic reform and global governance. Overall, the book is thought-provoking and well-written, encouraging readers to engage in civic action.

In this episode, we talk to Anna Birney and Sean Andrew from the School of Systems Change about using a living systems paradigm to understand social systems and complexity. They explore the work of changemaking through deep inquiry into relational dynamics and the prospect of shaping systemic change by addressing power dynamics. They emphasize embracing change at a granular level, recognizing the transformative potential in mundane actions becoming everyday practices that ultimately become the larger systemic shifts. Together, they advocate for intentional relational practices and structural clarity to foster healthy organizations and networks that honor diverse voices and histories.

The 4th edition of the Systems Innovation network’s gatherings.

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Rakesh shares insights from 35 years of work experience in civil society, government, and philanthropy on how systemic change happens in practice, and how that is informing the approach to be taken by Just Systems to support the emergence of government systems that are more equitable, inclusive and dignity-affirming.

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas unravels the mysteries of attunement. Discover how this practice goes far beyond conventional emotional intelligence and continues into deeper connections and spiritual growth. Uncover the keys to transparent communication, trauma healing, and accessing subtle spiritual information for personal and collective transformation.