This document discusses systems thinking and its application to interaction design. It begins with an introduction to systems thinking and then covers three main topics: 1) modeling systems using tools like rich pictures and conceptual models, 2) understanding system behavior over time through graphs and cohort analysis, and 3) identifying leverage points for changing systems. The document provides examples and illustrations for each topic to demonstrate how systems thinking can help interaction designers make sense of complex, real-world problems.

1. Making
sense
of
messy
problems
Johanna
Kollmann
@johannakoll
!
Interaction
16,
Helsinki
Systems
thinking
for
Interaction
Designers
Illustration
by
David
Wicks:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sansumbrella/467998944/

3.
The
next
4
hours
of
your
life:
Introduction
to
Systems
Thinking
Tools
for
modeling
systems
Systems
behaviour
over
time
Changing
systems

4. Systems
Thinking?

5. In
the
past
the
man
has
been
first;
in
the
future
the
system
must
be
first.
!
~
Frederick
Winslow
Taylor
(1911)

6. In
the
past
the
man
has
been
first;
in
the
future
the
system
must
be
first.
!
This
in
no
sense,
however,
implies
that
great
men
are
not
needed.
!
~Frederick
Winslow
Taylor
(1911)

7. “At
the
root
of
every
seemingly
technical
problem
is
a
human
problem.”
~
Taiichi
Ohno

8. http://visitmix.com/work/descry/awebsitenameddesire

9. “Systems-­‐based
thinking
is
the
process
of
understanding
how
things
influence
one
another.
!
Then
drawing
on
that
knowledge
to
create
efficiencies
of
process,
infrastructure
and
communication.”
~
Abby
Covert

10. “A
system
is
~
Donella
Meadows
a
set
of
elements
or
parts
oGen
classified
as
its
funcHon
or
purpose.”
that
is
coherently
organized
and
inter-­‐connected
in
a
paKern
or
structure
that
produces
a
characterisHc
set
of
behaviors,

11. Peter
Checkland
Human
activity
systems
Soft
Systems
Methodology

12.
Leverage
points…
…places
within
a
complex
system
where
a
small
shift
in
one
thing
can
produce
big
changes
in
everything.
…are
often
counterintuitive.

13. Systems
Thinking
&
UX

14. 1)
Modeling

15. 2)
Behavior
over
time

16. 3)
Change

17. 1)
Modeling

18. Mental
Model
System
Model
Conceptual
Model

19. Personas
from
Design
Jam
London,
by
Jeff
Van
Campen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/otrops/tags/designjamlondon/

20. Flickr
User
Model
by
Bryce
Glass
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bryce/58299511/

21. !
“Only
by
building
a
model
of
customer
behaviour
and
then
showing
our
ability
to
use
our
product
or
service
to
change
it
over
time
can
we
establish
real
facts
about
the
validity
of
our
vision.”
~
Eric
Ries

22. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Rich
Picture
1.
Construction
of
the
Humber
Bridge
(adapted
from
Stewart
and
Fortune,
1994)
©
The
Open
University
2.
Distance
Learning
Situation
©
Wood-­‐Harper
et
al,
Information
Systems
Definition:
The
Multiview
Approach,
Blackwell
Scientific
Publications
1985

23. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Rich
Picture
elements
Stakeholders
Worldview
Connections
Conflicts
2.
Distance
Learning
Situation
©
Wood-­‐Harper
et
al,
Information
Systems
Definition:
The
Multiview
Approach,
Blackwell
Scientific
Publications
1985

24. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change

25. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change

26. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Rich
Picture
elements
Stakeholders
Worldview
Connections
Conflicts
2.
Distance
Learning
Situation
©
Wood-­‐Harper
et
al,
Information
Systems
Definition:
The
Multiview
Approach,
Blackwell
Scientific
Publications
1985

28. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Business
Model
Canvas
Job
seekers
Recruiters
Jobs
Candidates
Manage,
promote
platform
Platform
Manage
and
develop
platform
Marketing
costs
Job
ads
Hiring
fee

29. 2)
Behavior
over
time

30. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Flows
inflow outflow
information
feedback,
control
stock

31. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Feedback
loops
George’s
ability
to
solve
problems
Number
of
problems
solved
Number
of
remaining
problems
Time
available
per
problem
Project
in
trouble
Management
pressure
to
solve
problems
R1 R3
R2
Need
to
involve
Paul
B1

32. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Behavior
over
time
graphs
inventory
days

33. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Behavior
over
time
graphs
inventory
days

34. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Cohort
analysis

35. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Cohort
analysis

37. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Custom
tools
to
monitor
interactions
by
@lukew

38. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change

39. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Photo
by
Anders
Zakrisson
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anders-­‐zakrisson/4982281184/

40. DATA
MEANING

42. 3)
Change

43. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
inventory
days
Flows
and
loops

44. 1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change

45. 10.
Numbers
(subsidies,
taxes,
standards).
9.
Material
stocks
and
flows.
8.
Delays
7.
Balancing
negative
feedback
loops.
6.
Reinforcing
positive
feedback
loops.
5.
Information
flows.
4.
The
rules
of
the
system
(incentives,
punishment,
constraints).
3.
The
power
of
self-­‐organization.
2.
The
goals
of
the
system.
1.
The
mindset
or
paradigm
out
of
which
the
goals,
rules,
feedback
structure
arise.
1)
Modeling 2)
Behavior
over
time 3)
Change
Leverage
points

46.
Take-­‐aways
The
‘worldviews’
that
people
and
elements
in
the
system
hold
The
processes
that
are
necessary
to
deliver
value
to
customers
!
How
to
gather
and
visualize
information
holistically
How
user-­‐centered
design
and
empathy
help
to
reduce
uncertainty
!
What
is
the
right
level
for
the
impact
you
are
aiming
for?
What
enables
the
change,
where
are
conflicts,
who
can
be
your
change
agent?

47. This
matters
because

48. Business
trends.

49. Humane
systems.

50. The
intuitive
mind
is
a
sacred
gift
and
the
rational
mind
is
a
faithful
servant.
We
have
created
a
society
that
honors
the
servant
and
has
forgotten
the
gift.
!
We
will
not
solve
the
problems
of
the
world
from
the
same
level
of
thinking
we
were
at
when
we
created
them.
More
than
anything
else,
this
new
century
demands
new
thinking:
!
We
must
change
our
materially
based
analyses
of
the
world
around
us
to
include
broader,
more
multidimensional
perspectives.
!
~Albert
Einstein

51.
Resources
The
Lean
Startup
by
Eric
Ries
!
Systems
Thinking,
Systems
Practice
and
Soft
Systems
Methodology
by
Peter
Checkland
!
Thinking
in
Systems:
A
Primer
by
Donella
Meadows
!
Business
Model
Generation
by
Alexander
Osterwalder
and
Yves
Pigneur
!
Donella
Meadow’s
article
Places
to
Intervene
in
a
System
can
be
found
at
http://
www.developerdotstar.com/mag/articles/places_intervene_system.html
!
Peter
Senge
is
a
key
systems
thinker,
I
haven’t
included
any
of
his
material
directly,
but
read
about
this
perspectives
especially
on
organisational
change.
Check
him
out.
!
For
the
design
geek
in
you,
read
up
on
Buckminster
Fuller’s
Design
Science.
!
Peter
Morville’s
Intertwingled.