Ego-System to Ecosystem; Systems Thinking in Design

@allisonbouganim
EGO-SYSTEM TO
ECOSYSTEM
Integrating Systems Thinking into the
Design Thinking process to account for
unintended consequences
ALLISON BOUGANIM

@allisonbouganim
IMAGINE IF AIRBNB…
2
Future Proofed Recognized Unintended
Consequences
Created
guardrails
@allisonbouganim

@allisonbouganim 3
Systemic Design
Everything is a set of interconnected parts working together to
accomplish a common purpose. It’s the ability to zoom in and
out of complexity, being user focused as well as system focused.
MINDSET + FRAMEWORK
@allisonbouganim

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“With a Systems Thinking mindset, the
designer starts to view products and services
as not the ‘end goal’ but as diﬀerent leverage
points within the system.”
- DONELLA MEADOWS
@allisonbouganim

@allisonbouganim
SYSTEMIC BY DESIGN
PROCESS
+ Systems Scope + Future proof + Intervene
FUTURE
PROOF
FEEDBACK
SYSTEMS
SCOPE
INTERVENE
DEFINE IDEATE
Zooming out of complexity and
having a holistic view of the
problem and the system that it
encompasses it.
Possible futures, unintended
consequences, and blindspots
The engine for creating change
in a system. Small hinges open
big doors.
5
@allisonbouganim

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*SYSTEMIC BY DESIGN
PRINCIPLES
The Business Case
for Humanity
We need to evolve our metrics of
‘success’ away from the bottom
line and towards more sustainable
and impactful futures. How might
we come closer to aligning
business objectives with societal
planetary goals?
02.
Systems are
Personal
Seeing yourself in the system and
recognizing the power and
privilege you have and where you
can help address change. We
have good intentions, but we can
easily cause harm if not
thoughtful.
01.
Ego-system to
Ecosystem
The need for transdisciplinary
teams and perspectives. The
recognition that designers, in
addition to users, stakeholders,
engineers, policymakers, etc.
need to be included in designing
for sustainable futures.
03.
*SOME @allisonbouganim 6

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Tools
@allisonbouganim

@allisonbouganim
ICEBERG MODEL
TOOL
TOOL
What: Identify root cause. Can also be
used to identify which level of change
you want to make in the system
Why: To understand problem and
system better
When: Systems Scope, Define
8

@allisonbouganim 9
SYSTEM MAPPING
TOOL
What: A way to map and visually
uncover the system
Why: Interconnectedness and how
When: Systems Scope
Picture taken from Kumu

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GUARDRAIL CHECK LIST
How may this product aﬀect marginalized communities?
What would happen if mother nature was our main stakeholder?
Who is being silenced or overlooked?
Who has all of the power and authority in this system?
Who may be exploited?
What would happen if a bad actor got control?
Who would lose their job?
Who would lose their livelihood?
TOOL
What: Questions, a non-exhaustive
checklist
Why: Keeps you and your team aware
of potential consequences and allows
for interesting and sometimes
challenging conversations with the
client
When: Every phase

@allisonbouganim 11
PESTEL ANALYSIS
Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal
P
P E S T E
E L
L
- Government Policy
-Political Stability
-Corruption
-Tax Policy
-Labor Law
-Trade Restrictions
- Economic Growth
- Exchange Rate
- Interest Rate
- Inflation Rates
- Disposable Income
- Unemployment Rate
- Population Growth
- Age Distribution
- Career Attitudes
- Safety Emphasis
- Health Conciousness
- Lifestyle Attitudes
- Cultural Barriers
- Technology
Incentives
- Level of Innovation
- Automation
- R&D Activity
- Tech Change
- Techn Awareness
- Weather
- Climate
- Environmental
Policies
- Climate Change
- Pressure From NGO’s
- Discrimination Law
- Antitrust Law
- Employment Laws
- Consumer Protection
Laws
- Copyright & Patent
Laws
- Health and Safety
Laws
What: A tool used to identify macro
(external) forces affecting a system
Why: can be useful to look at different
scales, individual, community, society,
industry
When: System Scope, Future Proof
PESTEL ANALYSIS
TOOL
Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal
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UN SDG
FRAMEWORK
What: United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals
Why: The ultimate way to design
towards sustainable futures
When: All phases

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DESIGN
THINKING
SOCIAL
INNOVATION
SYSTEMS
THINKING
SYSTEMIC BY DESIGN

@allisonbouganim
Learn more and stay connected
www.systemicbydesign.com
Thank you!
@allisonbouganim
hello@systemicbydesign.com

Ego-System to Ecosystem; Systems Thinking in Design

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