systemic design
{{Short description|Interdisciplinary design field concerned with systems}}
Systemic design is an interdiscipline{{cite journal |last1=Sevaldson |first1=Birger |last2=Jones |first2=Peter |title=An Interdiscipline Emerges: Pathways to Systemic Design |journal=She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation |date=1 June 2019 |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=75–84 |doi=10.1016/j.sheji.2019.05.002 |issn=2405-8726|doi-access=free }} that integrates systems thinking and design practices. It is a pluralistic field,{{cite book |last1=Bistagnino |first1=Luigi |last2=Peruccio |first2=Pier Paolo |editor1-last=Michalos |editor1-first=Alexander C. |title=Design: An Overview |date=2014 |publisher=Springer |location=Dordrecht, the Netherlands |isbn=978-94-007-0754-2 |pages=1582–1585}}{{cite web |last1=van der Bijl-Brouwer |first1=Mieke |title=Systems thinking + design = ? |url=https://medium.com/@miekevanderbijl/systems-thinking-design-72209d534c4c |website=Medium |date=18 August 2023 |access-date=4 November 2023}} with several dialects{{cite journal |last1=Sevaldson |first1=Birger |title=Redesigning Systems Thinking |journal=FormAkademisk |date=21 March 2017 |volume=10 |issue=1 |doi=10.7577/formakademisk.1755|doi-access=free |hdl=11250/2492499 |hdl-access=free }} including systems-oriented design.{{cite web |title=About Systems Oriented Design |url=https://systemsorienteddesign.net/systems-oriented-design/ |website=Systems Oriented Design |date=30 October 2022 |publisher=Birger Sevaldson}} Influences have included critical systems thinking and second-order cybernetics. In 2021, the Design Council (UK) began advocating for a systemic design approach and embedded it in a revision of their double diamond model.{{cite web|last1=Drew |first1=Cat |last2=Robinson |first2=Cassie |last3=Winhall |first3=Jennie |date=2021 |title=System-shifting design: An emerging practice explored |url=https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/fileadmin/uploads/dc/Documents/Systemic%2520Design%2520Report.pdf |publisher=Design Council & The Point People}}
Systemic design is closely related to sustainability as it aims to create solutions that are not only designed to have a good environmental impact, but are also socially and economically beneficial. In fact, from a systemic design approach, the system to be designed, its context with its relationships and its environment receive synchronous attention.{{cite book |last1=Sevaldson |first1=Birger |title=Designing Complexity: The methodology and practice of systems oriented design |date=2022 |publisher=Common Ground Research Networks |isbn=978-0-949313-61-4 |edition=hbk |doi=10.18848/978-1-86335-262-8/CGP |s2cid=256537500 |url=https://doi.org/10.18848/978-1-86335-262-8/CGP}} Systemic design's discourse has been developed through Relating Systems Thinking and Design—a series of symposia held annually since 2012.{{Cite journal|url=https://rsdsymposium.org/|title=RSD | Systemic Design Symposium|journal=Relating Systems Thinking and Design|via=rsdsymposium.org}}
History
=1960 to 1990=
Systems thinking in design has a long history with origins in the design methods movement during the 1960s and 1970s, such as the idea of wicked problems developed by Horst Rittel.{{cite journal |last1=Nelson |first1=Harold |title=Systemic Design as Born from the Berkeley Bubble Matrix |journal=Contexts—The Systemic Design Journal |date=20 December 2022 |volume=1 |pages=v1001 |doi=10.58279/v1001|s2cid=256717726 }}
The theories about complexity help the management of an entire system, and the suggested design approaches help the planning of different divergent elements. The complexity theories evolved on the basis that living systems continually draw upon external sources of energy and maintain a stable state of low entropy, on the basis of the General Systems Theory by Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968).{{cite book |last1=Bertalanffy |first1=Ludwig von |title=General System Theory: Foundations, Development, Applications |date=1968 |publisher=G. Braziller |isbn=978-0-8076-0453-3 |language=en}} Some of the next rationales applied those theories also on artificial systems: complexity models of living systems address also productive models with their organizations and management, where the relationships between parts are more important than the parts themselves.
=1990 to 2010=
Treating productive organizations as complex adaptive systems allows for new management models that address economical, social and environmental benefits (Pisek and Wilson, 2001.){{cite journal |last1=Plsek |first1=P. E |last2=Wilson |first2=T. |title=Complexity science: Complexity, leadership, and management in healthcare organisations |journal=BMJ |date=29 September 2001 |volume=323 |issue=7315 |pages=746–749 |doi=10.1136/bmj.323.7315.746 |pmid=11576986 |language=en |issn=0959-8138|pmc=1121291 }} In that field, cluster theory (Porter, 1990){{cite book |last1=Porter |first1=Michael E. |title=Competitive Advantage of Nations: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance |date=1990 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-4516-5149-2 |language=en}} evolved in more environmentally sensitive theories, like industrial ecology (Frosh and Gallopoulos, 1989){{cite journal |last1=Gallopoulos |first1=Nicholas E. |last2=Frosch |first2=Robert A. |title=Strategies for Manufacturing |journal=Scientific American |date=September 1, 1989 |volume=3 |issue=189 |pages=94–102 |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strategies-for-manufacturing/ |language=en}} and industrial symbiosis (Chertow, 2000).{{cite journal|doi=10.1146/annurev.energy.25.1.313| doi-access=free|title=INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS: Literature and Taxonomy|year=2000|last1=Chertow|first1=Marian R.|journal=Annual Review of Energy and the Environment|volume=25|pages=313–337}} Design thinking offers a way to creatively and strategically reconfigure a design concept in a situation with systemic integration (Buchanan, 1992).Buchanan, R. (1992) Wicked Problems in Design Thinking, Design Issues, Vol.8 No.2, pp.5-21.
In 1994, Gunter Pauli and Heitor Gurgulino de Souza founded the research institute Zero Emission Research and Initiatives (ZERI),{{cite web|url=http://www.zeri.org/|title=Home|website=www.zeri.org|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-date=25 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425075901/http://www.zeri.org/|url-status=live}} starting from the idea that progress should embed respect for the environment and natural techniques that will allow production processes to be part of the ecosystem.
Strong interdisciplinary and transdisciplinarity approaches are critical during the design phase (Fuller, 1981)Fuller R.B. (1981), Critical Path, St. Martin’s Press, New York. with the increasing involvement of different disciplines, including urban planning, public policy, business management and environmental sciences (Chertow et al., 2004).Chertow, M. R., Ashton, W. and Kuppali, R. (2004) The Industrial Symbiosis Research Symposium at Yale: Advancing the Study of Industry and Environment, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven. As an interdiscipline, systemic design joins systems thinking and design methodology to support humanity centred{{cite book |last1=Norman |first1=Don |title=Design for a Better World: Meaningful, Sustainable, Humanity Centered |date=2023 |publisher=The MIT Press |isbn=978-0262047951 |url=https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262548304/design-for-a-better-world/}} and systems oriented design{{cite book |last1=Sevaldson |first1=Birger |title=Designing Complexity : The Methodology and Practice of Systems Oriented Design |date=2022 |publisher=Common Ground Research Networks |isbn=978-0-949313-61-4 |url=https://cgscholar.com/bookstore/works/designing-complexity-c418a7a4-6daa-4b58-b158-4c5077393e7b?category_id=cgrn |access-date=5 November 2023}} academe and practice (Bistagnino, 2011;Bistagnino, L. (2011) Systemic Design: Designing the productive and environmental sustainability, 2nd ed., Slow Food, Bra. Sevaldson, 2011;Sevaldson, B. (2011). Gigamapping: Visualization for complexity and systems thinking in design. Proceedings of the Nordic Design Research Conference. Aalto University, Helsinki. Nelson and Stolterman, 2012;Nelson, H.G. and Stolterman, E. (2012). The design way: Intentional change in an unpredictable world, 2nd ed., MIT Press, Cambridge. Jones, 2014;Jones, P.H. (2014) ‘Systemic Design Principles for Complex Social Systems’, in Metcalf, G.S. (Eds.), Social Systems and Design, Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp.91-128. Toso at al., 2012Toso D., Barbero S., Tamborrini P. (2012) Systemic Design: Beyond Ecodesign. Proceedings of the 18th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, University of Hull, UK).
=2010 to present=
Numerous design projects demonstrate systemic design in their approach, including diverse topics involving food networks,{{cite book |last1=Fassio |first1=Franco |last2=Tecco |first2=Nadia |title=Circular Economy for Food Matter, energy and knowledge, in a circle |date=2018 |publisher=Edizioni Ambiente |isbn=9788866272588 |url=https://shop.edizioniambiente.it/catalogo/circular-economy-for-food-eng |access-date=5 November 2023}} industrial processes and water purification, revitalization of internal areas through art and tourism,{{cite book |last1=Peruccio |first1=Pier Paolo |last2=Menzardi |first2=Paola |last3=Vrenna |first3=Maurizio |editor1-last=Sánchez Merina |editor1-first=Javier |title=Designing for territorial revitalization. A diffused art exhibition to foster northwest Italian inner areas |date=2019 |publisher=Titulación de Arquitectura Escuela Politécnca Superior Alicante University |location=Alicante, Spain |isbn=978-84-1302-082-2 |pages=190–196}} circular economy,{{cite book |last1=Peruccio |first1=Pier Paolo |last2=Vrenna |first2=Maurizio |title=Circular economy in rural areas |publisher=University of Bacau |location=Bacau, Romania |url=http://multitraces.ub.ro/files/IO/IP1/O1_Chapter_2_Circular_economy_in_rural_areas.pdf |language=English |chapter=Chapter 2 |access-date=2021-10-09 |archive-date=2021-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009012552/http://multitraces.ub.ro/files/IO/IP1/O1_Chapter_2_Circular_economy_in_rural_areas.pdf |url-status=live }}Barbero, S. (2017). Systemic Design as Effective Methodology for the Transition to Circular Economy. In Barbero Silvia (Ed.), "Systemic Design Method Guide for Policymaking: a Circular Europe on the way". Umberto, Torino, Italy. pp. 83-90. {{ISBN|978-88-422-2444-0}} https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2685132 exhibition and fairs, social inclusion, and marginalization.
Since 2014 several scholarly journals have acknowledged systemic design with special publications, and in 2022, the Systemic Design Association launched “Contexts—The Journal of Systemic Design.” The proceedings repository, Relating Systems Thinking and Design, exceeded 1000 articles in 2023.
Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD)
Since 2012, host organisations have held an annual symposium dedicated to systemic design, Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD). Proceedings are available via the searchable repository on RSDsymposium.org.{{cite journal |title=RSD Repository |url=https://rsdsymposium.org/?s |journal=Relating Systems Thinking and Design |publisher=Systemic Design Association |access-date=3 November 2023}}
Research groups and innovation labs
Academic research groups with a focus on systemic design include:
- Communication, Culture & Technology lab{{cite web |title=Communications, Culture & Technology, Master of Arts |url=https://cct.georgetown.edu/ |website=Georgetown University |access-date=3 November 2023}} at Georgetown University, Washington DC, hosts of RSD12 in 2023.
- Policy Lab is a part of the UK Civil Service with a "mission is to radically improve policy making through design, innovation and people-centred approaches".{{cite web |title=About Policy Lab |url=https://openpolicy.blog.gov.uk/about/ |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Crown |access-date=2 November 2023}}
- Radical Methodologies Research Group at the University of Brighton,{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/radicalmethodologies/|title=Radical Methodologies|website=blogs.brighton.ac.uk}} Brighton, UK, hosts of RSD11 in 2022.
- Relating Systems Thinking and Design{{cite journal |title=Systemic Design Repository |url=https://rsdsymposium.org/rsd-systemic-design-resources/ |journal=Relating Systems Thinking and Design |date=22 October 2023 |publisher=Systemic Design Association |access-date=2 November 2023 |last1=May |first1=Cheryl }} a searchable repository of articles from the proceedings of the annual symposia.
- Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) at OCADU, Toronto, Canada.
- Sys—Systemic Design Lab at the Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy.{{Cite web|url=http://sys-six.vercel.app//|title=Systemic Design Lab|website=Systemic Design Lab}}
- Systemic Design and Sustainability Research Group at Oslo Metropolitan University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oslomet.no/en/research/research-groups/systemic-design-and-sustainability|title=Systemic Design and Sustainability|first=OsloMet-|last=storbyuniversitetet|website=www.oslomet.no}}
- Systemic Design Association{{cite web |title=SDA About |url=https://systemic-design.org/systemic-design-association/ |website=Systemic Design Association}} the international membership organisation.
- Systems Engineering Design research group at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.{{cite web |title=Systems Engineering Design |url=https://www.chalmers.se/en/departments/ims/research/product-development/systems-engineering-design/ |website=chalmers.se |date=9 November 2022 |publisher=Chalmers |access-date=21 November 2024}}
Academic programmes
Academic programmes in systemic design include:
- Systems oriented design is an example of a systemic design approach being used at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design.{{cite web|url=https://aho.no/en/|title=The Oslo School of Architecture and Design|website=aho.no|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-date=11 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411111559/https://aho.no/en/|url-status=live}}
- Politecnico di Torino: Master of Science in Systemic Design.Barbero, S. (2016). Opportunities and challenges in teaching Systemic Design. The evolution of the Open Systems master courses at Politecnico di Torino. Proceedings of the 6th International Forum of Design as a Process, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, pp. 57-66.{{cite journal |last1=Peruccio |first1=Pier Paolo |last2=Menzardi |first2=Paola |last3=Vrenna |first3=Maurizio |title=Transdisciplinary knowledge: A systemic approach to design education |journal=Proceedings of DRS Learn X Design 2019: Insider Knowledge |date=2019 |pages=17–23 |doi=10.21606/learnxdesign.2019.13064 |isbn=9781912294008 |s2cid=214038886 |url=https://iris.polito.it/handle/11583/2768338#.YVWBQC0RppQ |access-date=2021-09-30 |archive-date=2021-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930092131/https://iris.polito.it/handle/11583/2768338#.YVWBQC0RppQ |url-status=live |doi-access=free }}
- The Strategic Foresight and innovation master program at OCAD University{{Cite web |url=http://www.ocadu.ca/academics/graduate-studies/strategic-foresight-and-innovation.htm/ |title=Strategic Foresight and Innovation (MDes) - OCAD U |access-date=2017-03-27 |archive-date=2017-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501132207/http://www.ocadu.ca/academics/graduate-studies/strategic-foresight-and-innovation.htm |url-status=live }} Toronto.
- National Institute of Design (NID) India.{{cite web|url=http://systemic-design.net/rsd2/teaching-systemic-design/#nahar/|title=Teaching Systemic Design « Systemic Design|website=systemic-design.net|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-date=19 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419055218/http://systemic-design.net/rsd2/teaching-systemic-design/#nahar/|url-status=live}} Systems Thinking and Design is part of the academic programme at NID.
- At the University of Montreal, the Master's degree in Applied Science in Design, Design and Complexity (DESCO).{{Cite web |url=https://admission.umontreal.ca/programmes/maitrise-en-amenagement-option-design-et-complexite/ |title=Maîtrise en aménagement, option Design et complexité - Université de Montréal - Guide d'admission |access-date=2019-02-28 |archive-date=2021-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120072422/https://admission.umontreal.ca/programmes/maitrise-en-amenagement-option-design-et-complexite/ |url-status=live }}
- The Kunsthochschule Kassel, in Kassel (Germany) offered the "Systemdesign" degree in the Product Design programme