This document proposes a systemic interpretation language to bridge the systemic and semantic spheres. It involves using patterns and pattern languages at different levels of abstraction across domains. The language uses a grammar of elementary components including dynamics, statics, and heuristics. Patterns are explored using various contexts and methodologies in an open network, with a focus on observation, relationships, and multiple perspectives. The goal is to facilitate systemic coherence while appreciating multiple solutions and organizing knowledge in a pattern repository.

1. A
Pa%ern
Language
for
Systemic
Interpreta7on
&
Transforma7on
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Helene
Finidori
-­‐
CC-­‐BY-­‐NC-­‐SA
Experience
Systemic
Phenomena
Natural
Phenomena
Reality
Narra7ve
Categoriza7on
Percep7on
Memories
Understanding
Life
Rela7onships

2. The
Systemic
Sphere:
Pa%erns
of
System
Behavior
Life
&
Experience
Systemic
Behaviors
Observed
PaEerns
Possibility
PaEerns
Observe
–
Probe
-­‐
Abstract
Imagine
–
Probe
–
Play
Apply
–
Monitor
PaEern
Languages
Domain
Related
The
Seman7c
Sphere:
Percep7on,
Categoriza7on
&
Narra7ve
Orient:
Decode
-­‐Encode
Design
A
Systemic
Interpreta7on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Observe
-­‐
Orient
-­‐
Design
-­‐
Apply
(OODA)
Various
degrees
in
the
abstrac@on
spectrum

3.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Abstrac7on
Spectrum
–
Levels
&
Domains
Systemic
(all
field)
Pa%ern
Language
Systemic
Pa%erns
Domain
Field
Pa%ern
Language
Domain
Pa%ern
Language
Domain
Language
-­‐
Best
Prac7ce
Systemic
Pa%erns
Observa2on
&
Interpreta2on
OODA
Systemic
Sphere
Seman2c
Sphere
Abstrac2on
Spectrum
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Grammar:
the
seman2c
connector
between
domains
and
language
levels
Specific
Abstract
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Grammar

4. Systemic
Interpreta7on
Grammar
(Elementary
Components)
Dynamics
(Movement)
u
Sta7cs
(Space
-­‐
Structure)
u
Heuris7cs
(Inflexions
–
Limits
–
Angles
-­‐
Switches)
Combined
Probed
Domain
Related
Contexts
Enriching
Brought
into
&
probed
in
Decomposed
Refining
PaEernPedia
Repository
&
Indexing
PaEern
Explora2on
Methodologies
Brought
into
Other
Data
Indexing
/
search
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Cross-­‐fer7lizing
Domains
with
Pa%erns
&
Pa%ern
Languages
Enriching
Systemic
PaEern
Language
Scou2ng
Systems,
cogni2on,
language
related
theories
Discussion
Categoriza2on
PaEernPedia
Repository
Field
Evalua2on
PaEern
Languages
Domain
Related
Domain
PL
Research

5.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Pa%ern
Explora7on
Methodology
Systemic
Interpreta7on
Grammar
(Elementary
Components)
Dynamics
(Movement)
u
Sta7cs
(Space
-­‐
Structure)
u
Heuris7cs
(Inflexions
–
Limits
–
Angles
–
Switches)
Systemic
PaEerns
Generic
Domain
Related
Contexts
PaEern
Languages
Domain
Related
An
open
network
of
generic
elementary
components
/
primi2ves
of
systemic
paEerns
and
sets
of
heuris2cs
to
choose
from
and
to
probe
in
various
domain
related
contexts,
with
various
points
of
entry
and
angles
of
approach.
PaEerns
&
PaEern
Languages
are
tools
that
give
direc2on,
open
up
possibili2es,
reveal
adjacent
possibles
between
domains
and
approaches;
channeling
a
drive
for
par2cipa2on
and
solu2on
and
finding
common
responses
and
red
threads;
leaving
space
for
interpreta2on
and
further
ac2on,
levng
co-­‐created
solu2ons
emerge.
The
hermeneu2c
approach
enables
focus
on
observa2on
and
on
the
rela2onships
between
categories
and
components,
with
an
emphasis
on
various
modes
of
percep2on;
naviga2on
in
the
crea2ve
environment;
play
with
the
elements
forming
structure,
space
and
movement
and
finding
the
perspec2ves,
limits
and
boundaries
through
heuris2cs.
Apprecia2on
of
mul2ple
path
and
co-­‐created
solu2ons
while
ensuring
systemic
coherence
and
systema2cally
organizing
knowledge
in
a
repository.
Enhancement
skills
(re)genera2ve
of
living
structure,
in
a
kind
of
‘OODA
Loop’
empowered
by
systemic
interpreta2on…
[Observe
–
Orient
–
Design
–
Act]
on-­‐going
cycle

6.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
The
systemic
Grammar
Systemic
Interpreta7on
Grammar
(Elementary
Components)
Dynamics
(Movement)
u
Sta7cs
(Space
-­‐
Structure)
u
Heuris7cs
(Inflexions
–
Limits
–
Angles
–
Switches)
Systemic
PaEerns
Generic
Domain
Related
Contexts
PaEern
Languages
Domain
Related
Genera2ve
processes
-­‐
Nature
of
movement
–
Direc2on
–
Rhythm
–
Effect
of
2me
&
scale
etc…
Func2on
-­‐
Rela2onships
–
Proximity
–
Mutuality
–
Boundary
-­‐
Posi2on
–
feedback
etc…
Logics
of
Change
-­‐
Cogni2ve
Processes
(Jung)
–
Learning
Styles
–
Process
Narra2ves
(Roy)
–
Inference
(What/what/how,
Aristotelian
ethics)
–
Pharmakon/window
of
viability
(S2egler,
Lietaer)
–
One
level
up/down
–
etc…
-­‐
Switches
(DNA)
Systemic
operators
-­‐
Variables
–
Principles
for
combina2on
–
etc…

7.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Systemic
Grammar
–
Genera7ve
Syntax
Social
Object
A
social
object
is
a
living
system
akin
to
a
‘center’
as
defined
by
Christopher
Alexander.
• An
aEractor
of
aEen2on
(care),
engagement
(focus)
and
energy
(resources)
• following
it’s
own
ac2on
logic
(driver)
• which
has
its
own
agency
• towards
a
shared
vision
and
outcome
(purpose)
Social
Objects
–
Genera7ve
Processes
–
Genera7ve
Outcomes
Each
Social
Object
is
associated
with
a
Process
genera2ve
of
an
Outcome.
The
outcome
is
the
‘difference’,
the
net
‘added
value’
generated
via
the
output
of
an
ac2vity,
which
may
become
a
Social
Object
itself,
the
seed
for
something
new,
crea2ng
architectures
of
genera2ve
systems
that
can
be
networked
in
constella2ons
or
nested
at
various
levels
and
scales.
An
applica2on
of
the
principle
of
recursion.
Analogies
with
Gene
Science
and
other
sciences
Genes,
for
example,
combine
to
create,
in
a
complex
cascade
of
2ming
and
intensity,
the
diversity
of
species
on
this
planet,
and
the
reproduc2on
of
life.
What
can
we
lean
from
gene
science
and
other
sciences
for
the
structuring
of
a
systemic
language
that
can
help
design
and
combine
genera2ve
systems
in
a
way
that
increases
collec2ve
awareness
and
collec2ve
intelligence
at
the
service
of
society,
sustainability
and
social
innova2on?

8.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Systemic
Grammar
The
purpose
of
this
language
is
to
determine
how
genera2ve
and
recursive
an
ac2vity
is
at
various
2me
and
spa2al
scales,
and
design
change
and
social
innova2on
architectures
that
op2mize
the
genera2ve
poten2al
of
human
ac2vity
–what
I
have
described
in
my
paper
as
the
commons
archetype:
the
factors
of
opportunity
and
renewal
of
the
system
that
insure
its
on-­‐going
thrivability
and
(re)genera2on.
Christopher
Alexander
called
this
the
Quality
with
no
name,
then
Wholeness.
Tom
Atlee
calls
it
Goodness.
Many
defini2on
of
the
“vector”
that
makes
the
world
a
beEer
place,
of
which
we
must
uncover
the
systemic
characteris2cs.
Working
collabora2vely
on
exploring
and
understanding
systemic
effects
is
what
creates
the
bridge
between
the
systemic
and
seman2c
spheres
which
will
help
increase
collec2ve
awareness
and
collec2ve
intelligence,
and
point
the
vectors
in
a
converging
direc2on
in
mutual
recogni2on,
rather
than
seeking
‘alignment’
and
sameness.
What
are
the
dynamics
we
observe
or
intuit
around
us?
How
do
they
affect
our
experience
and
structures?
How
are
they
themselves
affected
by
2me,
scale,
spa2al
and
structural
factors.

9.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Systemic
Grammar
The
inquiry
includes
elements
that
pertain
to
the
system
itself
(the
systemic
sphere),
and
elements
of
our
understanding
and
the
interpreta2on
we
make
of
it
(the
seman2c
sphere
–term
borrowed
to
Pierre
Levy).
The
hermeneu2cal
approach
makes
the
link,
with
heuris2cs
such
as:
Systemic
Inquiry:
Inflec7on
points
&
Limits
Events
or
factors
that
change
the
characteris2cs
of
the
dynamics
or
its
an2cipated
effect.
That
which
form
Bernard
S2egler’s
calls
the
Pharmakon
–
and
Bernard
Lietaer,
the
Window
of
viability.
-­‐ Natural
unfolding
/
paEern.
Thresholds
of
natural
accumula2on
etc…
-­‐ Spa2al/structural
factors.
-­‐ Effects
of
2me
and
scale
-­‐ Feedbacks:
amplifica2on
-­‐
reduc2on
-­‐ What
else?

10.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Systemic
Grammar
-­‐
Heuris7cs
Seman7c
Inquiry:
Cogni7ve
Processes
These
elements
are
related
to
how
people
perceive
and
process
informa2on
independently
of
the
values
they
have.
Jung’s
Cogni7ve
Processes
or
Mental
Func7ons
Four
mental
func2ons
and
two
avtude
types
that
differen2ate
cogni2ve
processing
preferences
of
individuals,
and
the
dynamics
by
which
they
operate.
• Func2ons
of
percep2on
(how
we
focus
our
aEen2on
and
gather
informa2on):
- sensing
- Intui2ng
• Func2ons
of
judgment
(how
we
organize
our
experiences
and
make
decisions)
- Thinking
- Feeling
Each
of
these
func2ons
plays
out
predominantly
for
each
of
us
either
in
the
• ‘introverted’
inner
world
of
our
thoughts,
feeling,
memories
and
imagina2on
• ‘extraverted’
outer
world
of
ac2ons,
people,
tools
and
organiza2on.
Learning
styles
Focus
on
the
preferred
‘sensing’
func2on
• Visual
by
seeing
• Auditory
by
saying
hearing
• Kinestethic
by
doing
experiencing

11.
A
Systemic
Interpreta2on
Language
Bridging
the
Systemic
&
the
Seman2c
Spheres
Systemic
Grammar
-­‐
Heuris7cs
Seman7c
Inquiry:
Angles,
perspec7ves,
vantage
points.
These
elements
are
related
to
how
people
understand
and
categorize
informa2on,
and
make
decisions,
that
may
influence
the
‘paradigm’
they
go
ager,
which
influences
the
design
of
systems
as
suggested
by
Donnella
Meadows.
Logics
of
Change
Perspec2ve
of
where
change
can
best
come
from,
also
the
logic
of
engagement
and
ac2on.
• Symbio2c
• Agen2c
• Poli2c-­‐Ethic
• Technic-­‐Strategic
• Rela2onal-­‐Emo2onal
• Systemic
• Cosmologic
Modes
of
inference
Preferences
in
triads
such
as:
• Abduc2ve
-­‐
Deduc2ve
–
Induc2ve
reasoning
• Object
–
Process
–
Outcome
• What
–
How
–
Why
(or
what
for)
• Subject
–
Medium
–
Object
• Virtue
–
Deontology
–
Consequen2alism
ethics