Systemic Innovation

Recently published

Systems Design Approach to Public Policy, in Handbook of Systems Sciences (Springer, 2021)

Interest in policy design has increased due to the growing complexity and interdependence of policy issues, and the rapid expansion of design practices into new fields. Nevertheless, the concepts and applications of policy design still tend to be addressed by designers and policy leaders in isolation, and without sufficient contribution from systems sciences. Such an isolation might be particularly surprising when we realize that policy and design share some of the same roots in complex the social systems approach and decision-making, which has been a tacit “undercurrent” in design and policy since for over 50 years.

This chapter describes the research and application of systems design approach to public policy (systemic policy design) and is divided into two main sections. The first addresses systemic, comprehensive understanding of policy (with emphasis on policy as learning in complex contexts), with linkages to main issues on systemic design. The second section puts forward the main arguments regarding systemic policy design. In the conclusion, future paths are outlined.

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Emerging practice

Theories of (System) Change: Accelerating the SDGs

Panel at SUSTEX 2021 (April 23, 2021): Peter Jones, Ryan Murphy and Ned Rava

“Only genuine systemic change can bring about the transformation required to reach the SDGs in next 10 years” (Ned Rava, opening statement)

The United Nations Joint SDG Fund is a global, multi-sectoral vehicle for policy innovation and financing that accelerates the progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It invests in solutions that produce transformative results that catalyze change across systems, sectors, and industries. The Fund provided USD 102 million over 2 years for 100+ transformative policy solutions within 35 programmes in 39 countries that were launched in 2020.

The panel discussed the outcomes of Theories of Change associated with 35 joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund and the analysis of systemic leverage across 11 SDGs.

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Research highlight

Policy Design: Towards Understanding and a Methodological Framework

Design Exploration series, Strategic Innovation Lab (March 2017)

“I’d rather be vaguely right than precisely wrong” (J. M. Keynes)

The study builds on two decade long professional and research experience of the author in the space of social systems innovation, and policy and institutional change across more than 25 countries. It provides a comprehensive representation of fundamentals on policy and on design and interweaves diverse approaches to policy design. This leads to the framework of options and main principles of a new methodological framework and considerations for further research on policy design.

Summary

Interest in policy design has been increasing, but it is still being addressed by designers and policy researchers in isolation from each other. The design community has not produced much research on policy design and what has been done often lacks references to policy studies. Akin to some business research, most concepts and methodologies regarding policy design in the design community come from design consultancies, which tend to seek business promotion more than solid research. The policy community, while producing much more research on this topic, is divided between those who do not consider policy design a valid notion at all, and those who approach both design and policy in much narrower terms. Moreover, in policy studies we can rarely find references to design research (beyond the so-called “design thinking” hype). Such isolation might be particularly surprising when we realize that policy and design share some of the same roots in complex social systems approaches and decision-making, amongst others.

Why is this important? Firstly, if policy design is to be pursued for systemic social change it needs to be properly conceptualized and operationalized. Secondly, policy design might be a great new opportunity for further development for design research and practice — while also addressing some of the counterproductive tendencies in policy (e.g. techno-economic rationality, “evidence”-based policy, “deliverology”). Thirdly, it is timely to bring back a more comprehensive understanding of design and of policy that has the potential to deal with the predicaments of complexity, stakeholder involvement, and working across silos. Nevertheless, the understanding will not suffice without identifying practical ways to deal with the real-life challenges of designing in the policy space.

Selected publications

Systemic design, change, and learning:

  • White Paper: Design of the Community of Practice and Structured Dialogic Design Methodology, SDD Co-Laboratory, 2014
  • Change Management – Policy Paper, EP, 2012
  • Guidebook for Strategic Development Planning, World Bank, 2010
  • Organizational Review of the Office for National Investment Plan, UNDP, 2007
  • Guided Self-Assessment as an Entry Point for Continuous Organizational Change, in Methods of Radical Reform, FMUBK, 2004
  • Relevance of Learning Organization for Social and Economic Change, in Director, Sept 2001
  • Learning Organization and Change Management, UBK, 2000
  • Managers as Modern Sophists, GSM, 1996

Policy innovation, and public sector reforms:

  • Systemic Functional Review of Public Administration, AAM, 2015
  • International benchmarking in education, health and general government, AAM, 2015 (collaborative research)
  • Institutional Development and Capacity Building – Reform of the Education Sector, EP, 2012
  • Comparative review on international trends and recommendation, Astana Economic Forum, May 2012
  • A Manual for Public Sector Reform, EuropeAid, 2011 (in collaboration with B. Guy Peters)
  • Strengthening Capacities for Policy Making and Coordination (edited report), RCPAR, 2010
  • Guide on Measuring Decentralization and Local Governance, Governance Centre, 2008 (edited and upgraded)
  • Report on Decentralized Public Service Delivery and Capacity Development, UNDP, 2008
  • Professional and Depoliticized Civil Service: Lack of understanding and problems of application, WeBa CoP on HRM, 2007
  • Decision-making, Accountability and Cross-Cutting PAR, DAI, 2006
  • Enabling Institutions: Guide for Capacity Assessment and Development of Local Institutions, SCTM, 2005
  • Roadmap to Europe: Recommendations for the future development of public administration, APAD, 2003 (in collaboration with Norwegian government)
  • Good Governance, Regulatory Impact Assessment, Budget Management, Quality Management, APAD, 2001-2002 (edited series)

Democracy, institutional change, and citizenship:

  • Quality of Democracy and Nation-State Integration, PhD thesis, CIRPAC, 2013
  • Elusive citizenship in an elusive nation-state, University of Edinburgh, School of Law, CITSEE Working Paper 2010/08 and the European Citizenship Laboratory
  • The Role of Presidency in Ensuring Accountability, Professionalism, Transparency and Legitimacy of the Policy Process, NISPA proceedings, 2008