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Context - systems thinking
Systems thinking is a theoretical approach that helps practitioners to understand the contextual and organizational dynamics within which a capacity development intervention takes place. This is important because the impact of interventions have to be measured against the backdrop of systemic forces which are usually more influential in the long term than the intervention itself.
Although systems thinking makes a lot of sense at the conceptual level, debate so far has tended to be quite abstract, making it difficult to draw clear guidance for practitioners. The current discussion is primarily focused on the complexity of systems, which tends to throw up so many potential interlinkages and dynamics among the different elements in a system that it is next to impossible to predict the outcomes of a single social change process. For some, the only logical conclusion to this analytical framework is ' don’t bother planning’, while others believe that systems thinking and planning are not mutually exclusive provided one is aware that it is difficult to guarantee the intended outcomes. In this section, we bring together various resources that help bring the concepts of systems thinking and complexity 'down to earth'. We begin with Bob Williams' helpful introduction to the topic, 'Thinking Systemically' in which he distinguishes three core systems approaches, based primarily on the type of relationships between actors and their relative location of actors within the overall system.
Featured Article
Thinking systemically
Support for capacity development is often framed in projects based on a very
narrow understanding of the factors that influence the ability to of people, organisations and
institutions to perform. There is a need to look at organisations and networks of
organisations
systemically embedded in and connected to a much wider context the potential to
help development workers better understand the factors that influence the abilities of people,
organisations and institutions to perform and to achieve desired outcomes.
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- analytical frameworks
Recent Articles
Changing minds: A guide to facilitated participatory planning
26 August 2011
This book draws on the work of thinkers and doers throughout the world who have grappled with
the challenge of planning complex institutions, especially health systems and development
projects. Their problem: Conventional planning methods often do not work. The solution:
Involve all the key stakeholders in making the plan. The challenge: Devise a planning system that
the principals and stakeholders can trust, and that is inclusive, balanced, and dynamic.
Creative capacity development
18 August 2011
The development community seems
constantly and restlessly in search of a singular approach that will “ solve” poverty, unveiling
new buzzwords every few years only to toss them aside. Reflecting on personal experience as
Director of a Cambodian capacity-building NGO, VBNK, Jenny Pearson argues that the
fundamental flaw with prevailing development approaches is that they remain embedded in a
technocratic and specialized paradigm that is ill-equipped to deal with the complexity of
real-world development contexts.
Taking responsibility for complexity
21 June 2011
Implementers of development policies and programmes must deal with interdependent problems, navigating nonlinear and often unpredictable change processes, involving a diverse range of stakeholders. The point of departure of this ODI discussion paper published in June 2011 is that the main problem is not (necessarily) intractable problems, or poor application of the right tools, but rather use of the wrong tools for the job. Rather than specify what problems should be considered ‘complex’, the paper aims to give readers the tools to decide for themselves whether an issue faced is complex, and to provide guidance on what to do if it is.
MoreTheories of change: A resource list
24 May 2011
Research to Action has developed a list of resources for researchers and organizations looking to develop a ‘theory of change’ for their work. The page is worth visiting for capacity development practitioners as many of the resources provide practical guidance on how to fit the different theoretical frameworks to a variety of practice contexts.
More"Evaluation revisited" workshop report published
12 April 2011
This report published in March 2011 summarizes the outputs of the Conference ‘Evaluation Revisited: Improving the Quality of Evaluative Practice by Embracing Complexity’’, which took place in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in May 2010. It also adds additional insights and observations related to the themes of the conference that have emerged at follow-up events.
MoreThe benefit of hindsight: Lessons on improving development effectiveness
01 April 2011
Impact and Aid Effectiveness: Mapping the
Issues and Their Consequences, is a free-to-download compilation of analytical work spanning
three decades. One of the interesting insights that can be gained from such a historical
perspective is a better understanding of how some ongoing preoccupations have been shaped by their
proximity to other debates or policy concerns.
Other Topics
Essential Readings
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Bob Williams (2009) "Thinking systematically", in Understanding Context, Capacity.org issue 37 (September 2009)
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Peter Senge (1990 and 2006) The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization, Broadway Business
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“Organism of Machine,” an article by Tony Land in Capacity.org issue 37, September 2009
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Cynefin: a sense of time and space, the social ecology of knowledge management David Snowden, in C. Despres and D. Chauvel, D. (eds) Knowledge Horizons: The Present and the Promise of Knowledge Management, Butterworth- Heinemann, 2000
More Web Resources
Featured Community
Systems Thinking World: Discussion group on LinkedIn
With a growing network of close to 9000 members, Systems Thinking World
brings together an active and diverse community of individuals who believe that "a systemic
perspective provides the best foundation for creating effective approaches for dealing with
challenges and shaping a better tomorrow". The Systems Thinking World Group on Linked In aims to
create content which furthers understanding of the value of a systemic perspective and enables
thinking and acting systemically. To join the group, please visit the SystemsWiki portal at the
link below, which also provides access to diverse articles and training opportunities on this
topic.
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