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Are Systemic Design Methods Excluding People with Learning Disabilities?
Get PDFThis presentation aims to present an inclusive research protocol to enable the participation of people with learning disabilities to codesign Artificial Intelligence healthcare systems scenarios and reflect on how some groups of populations have been excluded while participatory systems thinking approaches/methods have been conceptualised and applied.
A succinct review of systems thinking methods (i.e., systems mapping, ecosystems scenarios and patients’ journeys) will be presented and reflect on how inclusive they are. Next, the protocol followed in an ongoing project that explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence for codesigning a joined-up healthcare model for people with learning disabilities will be presented. This protocol describes a methodology that introduces and adjusts some systems thinking methods to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities to become active participants in sessions with multiple stakeholders (e.g., health and social care professionals, policymakers and tech innovators, among others). The presentation will emphasise the ethical considerations for recruitment and consent, adjustments for reducing the cognitive workload of methods, environmental aspects to ensure participants’ wellbeing, follow-up actions for long-term engagement and meaningful contributions and building up learnings to increase ‘complexity’ and independence.
The presentation will conclude with a reflection on how these adjustments and considerations could be adopted in other approaches, methods and techniques to demystify the complexity of systems thinking methods and contribute to enabling more inclusive research practices. This inclusive perspective promotes the integration of diverse actors, especially those that have remained excluded from the mainstream methodological approaches to achieve genuine participation within a systems thinking approac
Confronting Legacies of Oppression in Systemic Design
Get PDFTaking a systemic view of systemic design itself, we understand that systemic design is not separate from, but rather a part of, the fabric of oppression in society. If we fail to acknowledge this, the systemic design community will continue to unwittingly reproduce oppressive dynamics. This two-part dialogue series brought diverse perspectives together for a reflective exploration into systemic design’s role in perpetuating oppression. The first session was an online panel with invited international guests to critically reflect on the ways in which systemic design is complicit in reproducing oppression. The second session was an in-person fishbowl dialogue with leaders and contributors to RSD11 grappling with if and how the systemic design community can confront legacies of oppression and work toward liberatory aims.
Purpose
The aim of this dialogue series was to build a collective awareness of divergent realities related to issues of oppression in, with and through systemic design. Through dialogue, we aim to build a shared, but not unified understanding, of the ways that systemic design is implicated in structural discrimination and support early exploration into how the systemic design community can responsibly resist and dismantle oppression.
Session 1
RSDX panellists and participants critically reflected on the ways in which systemic design is complicit in reproducing oppression.
Discussion:
- What is the systemic nature of oppression, and how does it manifest?
- In what ways is oppression reproduced in systemic design?
Session 2
In this session, held at RSD11, the in-person fishbowl dialogue grapples with if–and how–the systemic design community can confront legacies of oppression and work toward liberatory aims.
The session begins with participants in the outer circle listening to the people in the inner circle as they start the dialogue. Then the dialogue moves to the outer circle for a second round of perspectives. Finally, the dialogue will be opened up for all to discuss their reflections and thoughts regarding if and how the systemic design community can work towards liberation.
Discussion:
- What are the implications and experiences of oppression in systemic design locally?
- What does understanding the legacies of oppression demand of the systemic design community
- Can the systemic design community work towards liberation? If so, how
Boundaries as Connection Points: Expanding systemic design methodologies through an “elastic toggling” process
Get PDFArtificial boundaries continue to disconnect us from our inner selves, each other, and the broader biosphere we inhabit. One example of this inability to transcend boundaries is highlighted by sustainability science researchers: the conundrum in current transdisciplinary research on the overemphasis of complex problems themselves rather than the collaborative processes needed to address them. The systemic design offers promising co-creative methodologies to better design such complex collaboration processes and reimagine boundaries as zones of connection rather than separation. However, despite the broad, transdisciplinary focus of the systemic design, greater integration of diverse methods and practices that stem from different ways of knowing and being is needed. Therefore, this presentation demonstrates how a proposed process of elastic toggling between diverse worldviews, methods, practices, and contexts can be operationalized for broadening awareness and participation in sustainability transformations. As part of on-going PhD research in systems-oriented design, initial findings will be presented on how the process is being iterated and applied across three international mountain communities. The process uses different practices and approaches (including co-creative gigamapping, synthesis maps, social network analysis, resilience assessment, land use analysis and immersive place-based experience) in the attempt to weave together design, science and transformative praxis. Throughout the PhD research thus far, the elastic toggling process has allowed for iteration and adjustment between each of these approaches in an emergent and structured manner and to adapt to the ever-changing contexts and increasing complexities of engaging in real-world communities. Along these lines, this contribution aims to expand the discussion around systemic design methodologies by unpacking the boundaries around the usage of primary vs secondary data, different knowledge types, qualitative vs quantitative methods and the co-creative vs individual data collection and analysis processes. The hope is that such critical dialogue around these topics can help mobilise greater synergies across different ways of knowing and being to activate more inclusivity and interconnectedness in collective sustainability transformations
Braiding Knowledge Systems as Environmental Peacebuilding: A four-dimensional analysis for co-applying Indigenous and non-Indigenous worldviews
Get PDFOur Future First
Environmental peacebuilding has evolved since Conca and Dabelko’s seminal work on peacemaking to now include preventative interventions as well as those that occur post-conflict. In recent years, both practitioners and academics have identified the need to recognise the leadership of women, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and local peacebuilding actors. However, the process of integrating worldviews in the sustainability sciences risks instrumentalising belief systems in a way that perpetuates underlying power and political asymmetries.
Critical water management literature calls for an ontological shift in how epistemologies relate to one another (Ermine et al., 2007; Stefanelli et al., 2017; Taylor, Longboat, and Grafton, 2019; Reid et al., 2021). Ontologies, or worldviews, can validate or invalidate ways of knowing and thereby open or constrain what are deemed to be viable policy responses within water governance and environmental peacebuilding. In response, this paper introduces a non-hierarchical conceptual model for braiding non-Indigenous and Indigenous ways of knowing for the management of the Great Lakes and, in turn, applies an ontological and phenomenological approach to environmental peacebuilding
Breaking Boundaries in Resilience Planning
Get PDFWe describe a framework for deploying agent-based models as a tool for decision-making during resilience planning, with an emphasis on flood mitigation. Prior work has demonstrated that agent-based models can be effective tools for modelling evolving community flood resilience and risk perception when they incorporate elements of individual decision-making. We argue for extending this methodology and incorporating it into regional infrastructure and resilience planning in order to 1) create more distributed and robust green infrastructure implementations and performance management systems; 2) provide a critique and alternatives to existing planning and delivery processes based on public sector jurisdictional boundaries; and, 3) validate and improve the modelling process by connecting it directly to stakeholder decision-making processes. This final point will effectively merge these systems-centric modelling approaches with human-centred community organising that employs various co-design methods.
In regard to the ABMs, co-design methods can be a useful source of real-world data about individual decision-making that can inform and validate iterations of the models. For stakeholders, they can be a valuable source of information and education about flood risk and climate-related impacts that might not be available through other channels. And finally, hands-on workshops coupled with potential small implementation grants can be effective ways of providing skills and incentives to stakeholders who may wish to undertake projects on their own property, reshaping the way green infrastructure planning and implementation can be accomplished
Building a Systemic Designer’s Library: Borrowing from multiple disciplines to develop systemic design mental models
Get PDFThis presentation expands on the use of metaphors and analogical thinking in systemic design by offering a work-in-progress catalogue of mental models drawing concepts from multiple disciplines to support systemic design approaches. It first explores how analogical thinking supports systemic design and then catalogues how practitioners have previously used metaphors as tools that facilitate design activities (from products to services and systemic interventions). Adding to this catalogue, I present mental models using analogues drawn from different disciplines and show how doing so can offer new perspectives, mental models, and techniques designers can adapt to strengthen their practice. I present sample mental models drawn from physics, medicine, and economics and show the possibilities these offer to systemic design activities, such as framing problem spaces, generating objective ideas, and facilitating change
Gigamapping for Creating a Context of Use
Get PDFRedesigning software to increase usability will not be solved by only changing the surface, i.e., the graphical user interface. A context of use, describing how software is intended to be used, by specific users, in a specific environment, is a prerequisite for achieving usability. This paper will explore the utilization of gigamapping, from the field of systems-oriented design, as a method to create a context of use. Surveys and semi-structured interviews verify that gigamapping can create a context of use and display complex information while maintaining connectedness and readability. In addition, semi-structured interviews verify that gigamapping provided additional value by discovering in-house challenges with interface management
GINGAmapping: Conversational strategies in technical advisory meta-learning for socio-spatial groups
Get PDFThe article presents a critical reflection on [meta-learning] a remote learning experience in a course for Technical Assistance and Support for Social Housing (ATHIS). The objective of this experience was to promote conditions for students to come in contact with and problematize ‘how’ different concepts related to digital technologies can be appropriated in ATHIS. Based on radical constructivist thinking, the pedagogical framework proposed for the course explored the platforms Zoom and Miro to associate two methodologies for conversation and collaborative ideation – Team Sintegrity (Beer, 1994) and gigamapping (Sevaldson, 2012).
The adaptation and combination of the two methodologies – called here GINGAmapping – enabled the students to get to know each other better and work together in a non-hierarchical and co-creative experience. The results demonstrated that the proposed practice significantly contributed to improving knowledge of the studied topics by each participant and allowed the reverberation of individual contributions throughout the whole team. This experience indicates that Team Sintegrity and gigamapping can be effectively combined to foster simultaneous and integrated work between groups in digital means
The Silent Crisis: Unravelling the complexities of biodiversity loss
Get PDFIn the intricate dance of life on Earth, human activities have emerged as a formidable force, reshaping landscapes, economies, and ecosystems.
The Silent Crisis gigamap delves into the paradoxical interplay between human endeavours and the subtle yet profound crisis of biodiversity loss that has been set in motion. While our pursuits have ushered in remarkable progress and technological advancements, they have also triggered a silent and pervasive crisis, the consequences of which may only become apparent when biodiversity loss reaches a critical crescendo. At this pivotal juncture, humanity stands at a precipice, facing the sobering reality that urgent action and unwavering dedication to biodiversity conservation are no longer lofty ideals but imperatives for the survival of our species and the preservation of the intricate web of life that blankets our planet.
This brief is an accompaniment to the gigamap and serves to explore the multifaceted dimensions of human-induced biodiversity loss, investigating its causes, manifestations, and potentially far-reaching consequences. The project adopted an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on ecological, economic, political, sociocultural, and emotional perspectives to provide a holistic understanding of the crisis of biodiversity loss. By synthesising existing research and presenting novel insights, it aims to inform policymakers, researchers, and various stakeholders by drawing a parallel between the cost of neglecting and the cost of conserving biodiversity. The urgency of the matter is emphasised, highlighting the need for a paradigm shift in societal values and policies to foster sustainable coexistence with the natural world.
Our research underscores the necessity of immediate and concerted efforts to address the silent crisis of biodiversity loss, urging humanity to transcend its current trajectory and embrace a harmonious coexistence with the intricate tapestry of life that envelops our world, focusing on the lack of conversation around the subject weighing out the costs of neglecting vs conserving biodiversity. The gigamap presented here serves as a metaphorical narrative, illustrating the vastness and complexity of the system being studied to facilitate a deeper understanding and aid in the development of strategies and solutions
Transcending Dualities of Gender: Mapping factors influencing the life of a trans person in India
Get PDFThe transgender community is one of the oldest communities in India, and includes hijras, eunuchs, kothis, and aravanis. All members face severe discrimination and harassment in all respects in contemporary India, having been subjected to unfair treatments such as verbal abuse, physical and sexual violence, and victimisation in multiple settings (family, educational institutions, workplace, health care settings, and public spaces). The project aimed to understand and represent the challenges faced by the trans community in India and explore possibilities of design intervention in the system. According to UN Sustainable Development Goals 5–Gender Equality, many developing and developed countries have raised concerns about gender-related inequalities at various levels, validating the relevance of the project.
As an outcome of the project, the gigamap serves as a concise and comprehensive visual document on trans-individuals in India and is also aimed as an education tool for parents, teachers, educational institutions, policymakers, designers, changemakers, and the general public. The gigamap addresses the fundamental question of who a trans individual is, covering the basics of sex, gender and gender identities. It further delves into the history of trans-individuals in India, highlighting two important bills passed by the government and examining the ground reality.
The core of the gigamap revolves around the life journeys of trans-individuals, mapping their emotional states. It encapsulates our findings around gender dysphoria, coming out, and transitioning, ensuring readers gain in-depth knowledge on the pivotal points of their lives. It directly connects to the synthesised causal map, emphasising the key factors influencing the life of a trans person in India. This section also incorporates illustration bubbles as empathy builders, narrating everyday emotions shared by the community.
The last section gives a system overview in the form of loops and a stakeholder map, highlighting groups of individuals with high impact and influence. It concludes with nine areas for intervention and encourages the viewer to make a difference in their own spheres of influence. Throughout the ten-week project, systemic design mapping helped us navigate the complexities faced while dealing with such sensitive topics. Gigamapping as a tool and a deliverable also helped us as designers to consider products and services