Systems Thinking, Rich Mapping and Conceptual Models

1. Systems Thinking, Rich Mapping and Conceptual Models

5. What is a system? • Collection of “stuff” • Dynamic, complex, interdependent relationships • Can't be decomposed into linear processes • Can't be separated from the environment or context in which they occur • Feedback

6. What are systems? • Economies • Ecosystems • Organizations • Markets • Projects • Social Networks

7. Leverage Points • Small changes  big effects • Leverage Points • Access to information • Incentives • Delays

8. Do Systems Matter? • GM closes plant in Fremont, California (1982) • Worst quality record • Worst labour relations • Highest employee absenteeism and drug use • Toyota opens Fremont plant in 1984 • Hires 80% of GM’s workforce • Outstanding quality record

10. Relevance to Experience Design • Web is an ecosystem • Systems within the web • eBay • Blogosphere • Digg, Flickr, MySpace • Creating, influencing systems that enable experiences

11. Introducing Systems Thinking • CATWOE • Root Definitions • Rich Mapping/Conceptual Models • Case study

12. Systems Thinking Conceptual Model

13. A Short History of Systems Thinking • Evolved from “Hard” systems theory in the early 1970’s • Notable uses of Systems Thinking: • National Health Service - UK - 1970’s • Shell Group - 1980’s • Cooum River Rehabilitation - India -1990’s

14. Elements of Systems Thinking • See the system as a process of inquiry • Understand system elements with the “CATWOE” framework • Find the “root definitions” of the problem • Create models of purposeful activity with Rich Mapping

15. The system is a process of enquiry ?

16. CATWOE • C - Customers • A - Actors • T - Transformative Process • W - Worldview • O - Owners • E - Environmental Constraints

17. Customers • The beneficiaries of “t”

18. Actors • Those who would do “t”

19. Transformation Process • “t” - the conversion of input to output

20. Worldview • The perspective that makes “t” meaningful in context

21. Owners • Those who could stop “t”

22. Environmental Constraints • Elements which define the limits of the system

23. Finding root definitions • A description of a “human activity system” which describes how a transformative process will be undertaken and what is expected as a result. • Do X by Y to accomplish Z

24. Rich Mapping

25. Painting the house

26. CATWOE • C - Homeowner • A - Homeowner • T - Unpainted house to painted house • W - Painting house will enhance appearance • O - Homeowner • E - Hand painting

27. Root Definition A self-owned and manned system to paint a house, by conventional hand painting, in keeping with the overall decoration scheme of the property in order to enhance the visual appearance of the property. A homeownerpaints a house by hand to improve its appearance.

28. Rich Mapping

29. Why We Like Systems Thinking • Illuminates the structures behind the structure • Helps to engage us in thinking about problem solving beyond just “requirements” • Helps us understand the context(s) in which we are delivering the appropriate IA to the client

30. Putting Systems Thinking to Use • Keep Systems Thinking simple by choosing basic tools for the initial inquiry • Iteratively evaluate CATWOE elements as the understanding of them evolves • Focus on where specific actions exist with respect to system layers

31. Exploring Systems Thinking The Client • Large financial services institution • Multiple P&L Silos • Complex stakeholder ecosystem • Distributed accountable-ism • Biggest perceived client challenge: “IA”

32. Exploring Systems Thinking The Agency • New office with little organizational history • Large, young IA team • Limited experience with large clients • Biggest perceived challenge: “Anticipating Changes in Client Needs”

33. How did we use Systems Thinking tools? • Used CATWOE framework to help define and model the system elements • Used Rich Mapping to model parts of the system relative to specific activities and to identify true stakeholder relationships and motivations

34. Looking at the Layers of the System • Modeling was not just focusing on actions but on layers • We defined four layers in the relevant system: • Engagement Level • Project Level • Site Level • Feature Level • Focused on identifying the relationships within the layers and between the layers

35. CATWOE Changes • CATWOE elements change between layers • CATWOE elements change within layers • CATWOE elements often do not reflect the formalized project structure.

36. Project Level System View The Activity System Monitoring Efficiency Monitoring Effectiveness

37. Root Definition A business goal driven system to redesign and launch a web application through multi-team distributed collaboration, which fits within existing information technology and legal constraints and results in organic growth that meets specific business metrics.

38. Project Level CATWOE • C - E-Business Team • A - Internal Creative Team, IT, Business Owners, Product Owners, Agency • T - Build and launch new website • W - New website will better support business goals • O - CFO, IT • E - Geographic displacement, restrictions to onsite collaboration, competing business goals

39. Feature Level System View Monitoring Efficiency The System Monitoring Effectiveness Agency Action

40. Lessons We’ve Learned • Systems Thinking helps provide a valuable perspective to help frame IA work • The inquiry based nature of Systems Thinking helps keep design based initiatives on top of perceived changes to the system • Used on its own, Systems Thinking is not executional enough to effect system change • The core tools of Systems Thinking provide value to IAs even with limited use

41. Leveraging CATWOE • Using CATWOE to frame personas • users as actors, business as customers • Model different perspectives of a system • How do different groups perceive W? • How do they perceive T? • Effect short-hand way of starting the conceptual modelling process

42. In conclusion… • Systems • Experiences happen within systems • Systems thinking and conceptual models