Content and use cases created in partnership with Lizard Brain.

What is a “whole systems” approach?

A whole systems intervention is a process or approach for addressing a need, challenge or goal that impacts many parts of an organization or a community. Using a whole systems approach means bringing together representative stakeholders or the entire community to co-create solutions that will work best for their unique challenges. A whole systems approach assumes that “the knowledge is the room”; participants already have everything they need in order to create a successful solution, idea or initiative. All they need is the path to get them there and a guide to show them the way.

A few whole systems approaches include:

Open Space Technology
World Café
Future Search
Appreciative Inquiry Summit
Design Sprint
Hackathon

What is “human-centered design”?

Human-centered design places the user at the center of any design process. A good human-centered design process starts with empathy and may involve interviews, observation, role playing and other activities that help put participants in the users’ shoes. With the user at the center, we can brainstorm from a place of common ground and have a better chance that the ideas we prototype will stick with the people and communities they are meant to serve.

Why use a whole systems and/or a human-centered design approach?

By bringing together whole systems and human-centered design, we have a recipe for user-centered, community-driven innovation. The whole systems model provides the container to frame the experience. Human-centered design activities provide the ingredients of what participants will do during the experience. The participants provide their knowledge and energy for action. Ideas generated using human-centered, whole systems design are more likely to stick and succeed than other methods because they grow from the minds and hearts of those who created them.

Final products from a human-centered whole systems approach might include:

Rough-and-ready prototypes and constructive, experiment-driven feedback on those prototypes from other participants;
Roadmaps for solution design, iteration, and delivery;
A handbook of ideas and solutions that is ready and available for anyone to test; and
Committed, motivated action teams who will work together post-event on prioritized initiatives.

Where does leadership fit in the process?

Active, genuine leadership is key. Leaders set the tone and the guiding vision. They provide the scope and boundaries within which participants can create. It is important for participant engagement that leaders offer vision and direction but not solutions. It is also important for leaders to demonstrate willingness to embrace the outcomes that participants design. At a minimum, leaders must demonstrate that all ideas will be considered carefully for their merits and potential impact.

A co-creative process should never be used when:

The leader has already made a decision;
The leader wants or needs the group to buy-in to their idea; or
The leader wants to demonstrate collaboration but has no intent to use the outcomes.

What do I need to think about when planning an approach like this?

Number of Participants: Whole systems approaches can accommodate groups of any size, from 5 to 5,000. The Girl Scouts of America are known for having successfully led the largest Open Space conference to date with around 2,000 participants. Lizard Brain has facilitated whole systems approaches of up to 300 participants.

Duration: A minimum of a half-day (four hours) is needed to engage participants in meaningful conversation. Two-and-a-half day to three-day sessions offer the highest value yield for bringing people together. The first day allows for deep analysis on past and current trends. During the second day, participants envision the ideal future and enter creative design space. On the third day, participants refine their designs and create next steps and actions.

Space: A large ballroom or gymnasium is preferable to auditorium or theatre seating. Participants must be able to see each other and work together in small groups. Roundtables with chairs and/or modular furniture are best. Plenty of wall space and good lighting are also important.

A Lizard Brain human-centered whole systems event. Here, the entire company of 220 employees participated.