Applied Systems thinking for social management issues

The words social and issues together create a vivid image, of much havoc and indecisive hold ups. The planet is engulfed with several social systems trapped in a never-ending loop of mess and uncertainty.  The efforts to alleviate the suffering get more attention than the underlying reasons that lead to it. Stakeholders and witnesses associated with the system are for most part affected and confused, leaving little place, time as well energy for intervention. With such a complex scenario, the current state of our social system issues is obvious.

A general observation reveals most of the theory being generated to address these issues is academic or media related. While the intervention side providing monetary, emotional and physical support has very little to do with these generated theories of statistical data or sympathetic broadcast. There seems to be a great void in the organizations that can help understand and suggest feasible solutions.  Thereby, creating a vicious loophole of cause and effects with sustainable activism struggling to make an impression.  A medium to generate feasible models, to conceptualize the situation and develop alternatives will reduce the equation of chaos.  Whether this medium of application arises from within existing institutions or as separate third party organization is irrelevant.

What is crucial is how we apply systems thinking to reach valuable conclusions. Such applications are new in the sphere of social systems and given the redundancy and huge energy consumption of such efforts, divulging into an applied systems thinking framework is worth a try.

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The stateless citizens of our Global Systems

How far away from truth is the concept of Globalization. Surrounded by high technical gadgets and speedy internet services, a large part of the connected community believes firmly in the fascinating inter-connectedness of the global community. For numerous reasons, we are steered into this type of blind black box thinking. With information at our fingertips, shopping at the click of a button, mobile banking and travelling, virtual conferences and downloadable reading material. Much of our world is defined within this context, thereby putting forth the image of its vast connectedness. Stressing a bit too much on connectedness, the discussion here is not of how far away we are from human values or base emotions due to these growing forms of technological advancements, rather the doubt is quite intermittently tied to the very concept of defining connectedness. Our world has been categorized into 2 parts. The part of the world who have seen the world wide web typed excessively contrasted with the part which hasn't. Yet, as a system, these 2 components share and create transferable facilities, either as the fortunate giver or the grateful receiver.

Yet, the term Globalization screams injustice to a well known side of the world. The side that has become vulnerable, displaced, helpless and dependent. While migration across continents takes place in accordance to pre-set rules and regulations, the millions who have been stricken by calamity, for political or natural reasons, remain in a stateless position in this very global community. These citizens are suspended of their local let alone global citizenship in a matter of few days, with no appeal, transfer or migration system set in place.

Taking in the example of not one or two but millions displaced at the hands of injustice. If hunger and shelter was not enough a hurdle, these citizens are faced with issues pertaining to identity and statelessness. What happens at these critical moments. Every community of the global system tightens their inflow laws. The neighboring regions want no share in the disparity, leaving the victims of this very global connected community beseechingly disconnected. Where then does the global human community disappear.

Stripped out of basic human rights to food, shelter and education these victims of irate circumstances are left in social dilemmas. We create a systems called globalization, and the minute atrocity strikes one component, we gear ourselves to help them revive, but alas with a fake sense of connection.  An attitude which allows the healthy components to aid to an extent that will serve the media purpose or funding budget. Long term sustainability projects often overlooked, inappropriately prioritized and subject to extreme amounts of complexity.

While we figure a way to wade through this complex system, a part of the vulnerable community withers day by day, fading with it the shallow concept of connectedness. In other words a constricted world viewed through a disconnected lens.

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Can the future of humanitarian response be sans technology?

The number of refugees is on the rise. The need for humanitarian efforts is increasing. Be it human or natural disasters, the world is facing a gripping statistic of individuals who have been forced to live in destitute conditions. While the efforts have become more strategic, the rate at which aid is needed is multiplying by the second. It is but a clear indication for humanitarian projects and funding organisations to start investing in technology. Technology as a means to quicken donor response, magnify utilization of resources for humanitarian workers, provide better facilities for the refugees and disaster struck individuals. The focus can also be directed towards bringing long term solutions to the individuals affected by these crises.

Professionals working on field have a rich understanding of the conditions and requirements of the affected individuals. Creating substantial platforms for field professionals to communicate this understanding to technological firms would give new light to the developmental efforts. Better yet provide training to individuals or craft courses in the area of humanitarian sciences and technology. An interdisciplinary background will help establish a solid foundation to design need specific technical solutions. "Rather than have existing technology fuse into the humanitarian aid sector, our efforts should be directed towards innovating technological solutions from within" stressed a doctors without border professional at an IDRC Panel discussion . Not only will that have a stronger, long lasting impact but will pave way for more meaningful research. This kind of approach to technological innovation helps connect to individuals at a ground level since the technology is designed with a user centric feel. 

There is an immediate need to incorporate technology to our developmental efforts. A future without technology will not get us far, at least not where we are capable of going. New technology for humanitarian aid would arise from renewed strategies and design thinking. The future lies in maneuvering this tool to develop effective solutions 

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The need for technology was emphasized during an IDRC (International Development Research Council, Canada) panel discussion addressing the future of Humanitarian response. The panel discussion can be found below

-> IDRC Panel discussion on: Future of Humanitarian response

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Engineering solutions for Social Systems

What good is funding in the 21^st century? Social service, humanitarian work, public good, aid, relief, support add to it a dash of NGOs. Resting upon the threshold of donations and funds, the immediate as well as long term projects are usually if not always taken care by non profits.  That is how it has always been, claimed one graduate student during a 2 day conference on The State of the Youth in Toronto early in November. Corporate Social responsibility can never be given a genuine benefit of doubt for corporate organisations always have ulterior motives. While there was some truth to that, it was hard to let the reality set in. A large part of social and humanitarian work is done under the banner of being a non profit. That is the state of the world dynamics one would argue.  In my mind I questioned, why does it have to be like that?

Only when we challenge ourselves to think beyond the existing structures and mental models, are we truly capable of innovating and progressing. If analog was the only way of life, and we sat there assuming it to be, digital would never see daylight, nor would our mobile technology or high tech computing. Why then do we have to completely rely on existing methods and be critical towards the non standard social applications?  A method that cuts across corporate and donation based organisations does exist.

Engineering social systems through strategic management and design thinking will bring about a new flavor to this sector. Simply put, organisations that are grown out of the need to renew social systems have a brighter future than their existing counterparts.  There is a dire urgency to develop effective business models in this direction. We have been dealing with the same social systems for beyond a century. Our application mediums are being redesigned yet the source has always been the same, funding agencies.

While there is much good is this form of public service, there is a vision to actively propagate an unparalleled methodology waiting to touch the face of humanity. Design thinking for social systems brings in forces of empathy with creativity and rational. What better way than this to logically work towards social system and humanitarian issues. 

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Active Intellectualism spooled with generosity

As the sun struggled to bring warmth into the cold winter morning, my mind raced to contemplate the idea of Active Intellectualism. My mentor gave me quite a many totes for thought, but today it was a gigantic word. Being the highly educated, widely traveled inspiration that he was, I wanted to make sure I had understood it to the best of my abilities. Create value for the right people he continued for the world is one big mass of laziness. So there was opportunity in laziness, I made a mental sticky note. Smartness is defining the right kind of intellectualism and making good use of it. Irrespective of the sector one aims to pursue, it is the persistence that gets one through. With all our efforts focused on the journey, we are bound to land somewhere. Expect nothing at the end of the day, zoomed in another quick mental note. For when one starts being generous unprecedentedly, things happen. Just like Tarzan's boomerang, out of no where something eventually comes back.

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Design Thinking rooting for Engineering principles

Design Thinking has a deep correlation towards Systems Thinking. The concept of design thinking lays much emphasis on the design of existing problems. In an iterative manner, which is for most part user centric, a mindset for innovation is created. The strength of this process relies mainly on diversity and the powerful creativity that comes with it. For a given problem, two rationales are evaluated. A convergent and a divergent mindset differing mainly in the way solutions are generated and applied. Interestingly, over the last decade Design Thinking has found its application mainly in product development and sales. This was because until recently, these fields highly emphasized the need for customer satisfaction. However, with a stark rise in social innovation it has become clear that there is a greater need for customer centric development in vast spheres of management and engineering.

We have to step out of the traditional approach of creating solutions and engage more consumers of the technology to get a reflection of what truly is the problem. As Steve Jobs once said, “It is not the customers’ job to know what they want”. Indeed, creating technologically pioneering solutions and feasible engineering systems requires a lot more than the problem statement and resource availability. It is time we introduce design thinking as an empathic component into the design process and not just a technical aspect.

Image Courtesy: http://www.pdagroup.net/

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Hackathons; A direct application of Systems Thinking Principles

After a gripping 2 days of non-stop foreign aid open data discussions, software development and unlimited coffee, ground work at IATI (International Aid Transparency Initiative), IDRC and DFATD seemed to make a lot more sense. By the end, all those involved in the hackathon had a fair insight into the challenges faced by Canada’s foreign Aid.  

The term hackathon has gained much publicity and media attention over the last few years. The term refers to a successive collaboration of coders and experts from varying disciplines to work on specific project ideas aiming to solve global issues. A typical hackathon lasting from anywhere between a few hours to days brings about a spectacular congregation for cross disciplinary research, idea generation and social innovation. Most of the talk surrounding hackathons is around programmers. Developing unique software solutions and web interfaces is what is sort after in these rapid coding zones. However the inclusion of personnel from other disciplines is what sets the real ground, transcending disciplines and framing a new perspective on the project to be resolved.

Picture Courtesy: http://www.123rf.com

It is this perspective that finds its roots in Systems Thinking methodologies. Instead of scrutinizing a problem by reductionism, systems thinking tries to establish a practical understanding of the interdependent elements by developing a holistic model of thinking. It also incorporates an operational thinking approach which deals with chaos and complexity in a system. Another essential constituent system thinking brings in is that of a social cultural view to the process of analyzing a system. The teams working on such global platforms share individual views during the process of decision making and critical thinking ultimately drawing upon a suitable technology driven social acceptable solution. There is always the question of assessing solutions lest they lead to unintended consequences or risks. Lastly, the encompassing factor while aiming to incorporate systems thinking methodology is having an interactive design which brings about all the subsystems together to be studied as one whole system. Collaborative technology upholding systems thinking principles are the trend setters for social innovation.

Be it the area of international development, community projects, social system problems, food insecurity or inequality, systems thinking has something enriching to offer to every kind of system. While there are no set rules that can be applied to attain fool proof results, experimentation is key to finding the success sauce. It is crucial for non-profit as well as government organizations to benefit from the energy and solutions generated at such hackathons. Needless to say, our social systems are quite in need of Systems Thinking.

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