Advent(ure) in System Seeing — Days 8 and 9
Day 8: Context Changes Everything
Before we get into today’s activity, a word about where we’re headed. We’ve been practicing systems sensing and sense making: zooming in to see the system and its parts and interrelationships (day 1), zooming out to see the system in its vaious contexts (day 2), and shifting perspective to consider what is taking shape (day 3). We used Rich Pictures to explore some of the infrastructure we rely on, in a form that draws out people, organizations and systems involved, but also their interactions, and concerns (day 4). We considered a dynamic model of shaping influences in a situation, mapping causal networks and considering feedback loops (day 7). And we started to draw out some of the ideas about systems that have been percolating (day 5). We will again step back and gather thoughts about central concept in systems seeing (today, day 8).
We were getting practice with some of the perspectives and tools of system understanding, but the focus, while hopefully interesting, was likely generally outside our current set of concerns. We will shortly shift focus to applying the practices and tools of system seeing to a situation you care about. I’m mentioning that now, so you can start to think about what situation or system you would like to focus on. This may mean we have fewer folk sharing their work done, because its personal or work sensitive. Still, the part where we step back and reflect on what we learned may be shareable. Ok, back to today’s activity.
Today’s Activity: On Day 5 we created an overview zine page and optionally one on another topic. Today, we will return to the idea of creating a page (or two) of a zine. The topic is up to you, but I’ll suggest the focus is Context (or environment or situation). Again, you’re drafting ideas for the design of a zine page on context (or another concept that is fundamental to systems, like purpose). Why do we consider (system) context, when we’re talking about systems? What are associated concepts? Is there an explanatory diagram that helps convey why context is important to consider, or what is useful to draw out and make visible? Think back across the work we’ve done (bicycle in context (day 2), changes and impacts as ebikes become more prevalent (day 3), dependencies on other systems and infrastructure (day 4), causes and effects that shape the situation (day 7)), and draw out lessons.
“We fail more often not because we fail to solve the problem we face but because we fail to face the right problem.” — Russell Ackoff (via Jamshid Gharajedaghi in Systems Thinking)
“the meaning of the system can only be found in its context, so what you discern as ‘context’ is inextricably part of what you discern as ‘system’.” — Patrick Hoverstadt The Grammar of Systems
I am so un-skilled in art, that I failed art class in high school (although I got high marks in technical drawing/draftmanship). I also don’t have access to my iPad and Apple Pencil today and am trying to do this on my laptop, so I decided to see if I could manage some agentic AI skills to produce something I liked. I’d heard of Google’s Nano Banana tool, so I decided to try Google Gemini image generation. Here is my initial prompt:
Design a page that is part of a zine on systems thinking, and the page focuses on the topic of context
This is what Gemini thought of that:
Exploring the Concept
I’m currently breaking down the request: “Context in Systems Thinking.” I’m focusing on defining “context” in this specific field, considering elements like environment, boundaries, and perspective. My aim is to explain why context is so vital in Systems Thinking, and how it shapes the outcomes we observe. I’m moving forward with a strong emphasis on these core concepts.
Visualizing Context’s Role
I’m starting to build a visual metaphor to represent context. I’m focusing on a “frame” around a system, like a gear mechanism. Outside the frame, I’m depicting elements that influence the system but aren’t part of it, to demonstrate the influence of the environment and boundaries. I’m also considering how perspective alters the view within the frame. The goal is a zine-style page that clearly communicates the importance of these relationships in Systems Thinking.
Visualizing Context’s Role
I’m starting to build a visual metaphor to represent context. I’m focusing on a “frame” around a system, like a gear mechanism. Outside the frame, I’m depicting elements that influence the system but aren’t part of it, to demonstrate the influence of the environment and boundaries. I’m also considering how perspective alters the view within the frame. The goal is a zine-style page that clearly communicates the importance of these relationships in Systems Thinking.
Designing the Layout
I’m currently working on the layout. I’ve placed the visual metaphor — the framed gear mechanism — prominently in the middle of the page. Surrounding it is a chaotic environment, visually contrasting the system’s clarity. Supporting text, including key slogans like “SHIFT THE FRAME, SHIFT THE MEANING” are being added around the central image. I’m focused on creating a balanced and visually engaging composition within the zine aesthetic.
Defining Key Visual Elements
I’m now zeroing in on the visual elements. The “frame” metaphor will prominently feature a gear mechanism encased within a clearly defined border, representing the system’s boundary. Outside this frame, I’m sketching a chaotic, diverse environment to illustrate the influences that the system interacts with. Adding the lens element, signifying perspective, will change what’s inside. Finally, I’m working with the layout of text in relation to the main visual.
Constructing a Visual Narrative
I’m now integrating the text and visual components. My main focus is on the central metaphor: the “frame” around the system. I will portray a clear distinction between the orderly system within and the chaotic environment outside. I’m focusing on text placement in the context of the zine aesthetic. My aim is to make the core idea of “CONTEXT” the focal point.
\n\n I am finalizing the zine page. I’ve designed the visual elements and the layout. I’m aiming for a clear visual representation of how context influences understanding. It highlights the importance of perspective. My final objective is to create a well-balanced visual narrative using my key elements.
Conceptualizing the Narrative
I’m now integrating the text and visual components. My main focus is on the central metaphor: the “frame” around the system. I will portray a clear distinction between the orderly system within and the chaotic environment outside. I’m focusing on text placement in the context of the zine aesthetic. My aim is to make the core idea of “CONTEXT” the focal point.
Examining Conceptual Integrity
I’m currently working to determine if the generated content precisely aligns with the user’s initial prompt. The initial look confirms the ‘zine page’ feel and raw textures. The abstract concepts are clearly visualized.
Analyzing Alignment & Focus
I’m now carefully checking the alignment. The image mirrors the requested “zine page” aesthetic. The key concept of ‘context in systems thinking’ is represented clearly through the metaphor of a boundary. Additional elements, like the eye and magnifying glass, further support the central theme and help reinforce the key concepts of the page.
The analysis seems reasonable, I left it thinking about that for several minutes and it failed to produce any image. I stopped it and complained and it re-loaded nano-banana and produced the image immediately.
Looks pretty good to me, apart from the “CUDN…” label and the “-Unknown” quote attribution. I tried looking up the quote, and there isn’t a clear attribution for it, but it seems on point, so I asked for some tidy up and ended up with this image. Good enough, and much better looking than my attempts.
Think back across the work we’ve done (bicycle in context (day 2), changes and impacts as ebikes become more prevalent (day 3), dependencies on other systems and infrastructure (day 4), causes and effects that shape the situation (day 7)), and draw out lessons.
The context that changed and allowed eBikes to be practical is the development of lightweight low-cost energy dense Lithium batteries. A lead-acid battery would be too heavy and have too short a range to be practical. Laptop computers and phones drove the initial development of Lithium batteries, but cars have taken over as the biggest driver of that technology, with eBikes and other use cases benefiting from a slipstream effect.
Day 9: Relationships and Interactions
In a couple of days we’ll switch gears, and each focus on a situation of our choosing for most of the remaining activities. But today, we’re going to watch a lovely short ( 4 minute) video about … trees! Jot down notes (and sketches) as you watch it. With any time that remains, draft a zine page on Relationships or Interactions (as relates to systems and ecologies of systems).
The Secret Language of Trees, by Camille DeFrenne and Suzanne Simard
Everything within a system is changed by being part of that system, every element, every relationship is changed.” — Patrick Hoverstadt The Grammar of Systems
“They all together make a certain situation, but they constitute that situation through their relation to one another. If you change one, usually some, if not all, of the others are changed.” — Mary Parker Follett, The Illusion of Final Authority
To understand a system (and ecology or system of systems), we need to understand not only the components but their relationships and interactions.
Notes on the video: recent research has found that tree roots are much more complex than expected, and have a symbiotic relationship with a large number of specialized kinds of fungus. The fungus takes nutrients from the soil and passes it into the tree in exchange for sugars that the tree makes. The fungal networks extend far beyond the roots of each tree, and actually connect trees together, such that mature trees support the development of young trees, even though their root systems don’t overlap.
Nutrients flow from high concentrations to low concentrations, and this is enough to pass them over long distances via fungal filaments that are strands of single cells.
Thinking about this some more, when a tree dies, it leaves roots without a sugar supply, but other trees will keep the fungus alive in that area, and help to support the replacement trees that are growing in the new clearing, so all the system needs to operate is the flow concentration gradient and trees that are close enough to each other for the fungal networks to connect.
My attempts to get Nano Banana to fix the image and text it came up with failed, so here is a somewhat messed up zine page attempt.
