Systemic design

Systemic design is an interdiscipline^[1] that integrates systems thinking and design practices. It is a pluralistic field,^[2]^[3] with several dialects^[4] including systems-oriented design.^[5] Influences have included critical systems thinking and second-order cybernetics. In 2021, the Design Council (UK) began advocating for a systemic design approach and embedded it in a revision of their double diamond model.^[6]

Systemic design is closely related to sustainability as it aims to create solutions that are not only designed to have a good environmental impact, but are also socially and economically beneficial. In fact, from a systemic design approach, the system to be designed, its context with its relationships and its environment receive synchronous attention.^[7] Systemic design's discourse has been developed through Relating Systems Thinking and Design—a series of symposia held annually since 2012.^[8]

^ Sevaldson, Birger; Jones, Peter (1 June 2019). "An Interdiscipline Emerges: Pathways to Systemic Design". She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation. 5 (2): 75–84. doi:10.1016/j.sheji.2019.05.002. ISSN 2405-8726.
^ Bistagnino, Luigi; Peruccio, Pier Paolo (2014). Michalos, Alexander C. (ed.). Design: An Overview. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer. pp. 1582–1585. ISBN 978-94-007-0754-2.
^ van der Bijl-Brouwer, Mieke (18 August 2023). "Systems thinking + design = ?". Medium. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
^ Sevaldson, Birger (21 March 2017). "Redesigning Systems Thinking". FormAkademisk. 10 (1). doi:10.7577/formakademisk.1755. hdl:11250/2492499.
^ "About Systems Oriented Design". Systems Oriented Design. Birger Sevaldson. 30 October 2022.
^ Drew, Cat; Robinson, Cassie; Winhall, Jennie (2021). "System-shifting design: An emerging practice explored" (PDF). Design Council & The Point People.
^ Sevaldson, Birger (2022). Designing Complexity: The methodology and practice of systems oriented design (hbk ed.). Common Ground Research Networks. doi:10.18848/978-1-86335-262-8/CGP. ISBN 978-0-949313-61-4. S2CID 256537500.
^ "RSD | Systemic Design Symposium". Relating Systems Thinking and Design – via rsdsymposium.org.

[1] Sevaldson, Birger; Jones, Peter (1 June 2019). "An Interdiscipline Emerges: Pathways to Systemic Design". She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation. 5 (2): 75–84. doi:10.1016/j.sheji.2019.05.002. ISSN 2405-8726.

[2] Bistagnino, Luigi; Peruccio, Pier Paolo (2014). Michalos, Alexander C. (ed.). Design: An Overview. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer. pp. 1582–1585. ISBN 978-94-007-0754-2.

[3] van der Bijl-Brouwer, Mieke (18 August 2023). "Systems thinking + design = ?". Medium. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

[4] Sevaldson, Birger (21 March 2017). "Redesigning Systems Thinking". FormAkademisk. 10 (1). doi:10.7577/formakademisk.1755. hdl:11250/2492499.

[5] "About Systems Oriented Design". Systems Oriented Design. Birger Sevaldson. 30 October 2022.

[6] Drew, Cat; Robinson, Cassie; Winhall, Jennie (2021). "System-shifting design: An emerging practice explored" (PDF). Design Council & The Point People.

[7] Sevaldson, Birger (2022). Designing Complexity: The methodology and practice of systems oriented design (hbk ed.). Common Ground Research Networks. doi:10.18848/978-1-86335-262-8/CGP. ISBN 978-0-949313-61-4. S2CID 256537500.

[8] "RSD | Systemic Design Symposium". Relating Systems Thinking and Design – via rsdsymposium.org.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]