Globalisation and rapid digitisation lead to new forms of interaction, data handling and collaboration. As a consequence, businesses and systems are becoming increasingly complex.
In a system consisting of hundreds of employees and thousands of users surrounded by a jungle of stakeholders, it can be very challenging to locate the potential for gain. Systems Oriented Design is about mapping out complexity, identifying where pain points and gain potentials are, and in this way reach a holistic understanding of the complex issue at hand.
About taking the users' perspective
The supposed problem might be a symptom of a root cause somewhere else in the system. As opposed to addressing a problem in isolation, the designers facilitate an understanding of the bigger picture. Using Systems Oriented Design methods, such as gigamapping, designers help a project group to cope with and navigate complexity, to understand challenges and consequences better.
Systems Oriented Design is about taking the users' perspective, while at the same time understanding what role such aspects as finance, security, culture, ethics, sustainability, legislation and technical considerations play.
In Systems Oriented Design we look at businesses and organisations as “ecologies”.
Pioneering a new discipline
The Oslo School of Architecture and Design has during the last decade been pioneering Systems Oriented Design, in Norway and internationally, through education and research. This new discipline is part of the growing field called Systemic Design. "We believe designers can play a crucial role in managing the complexity of future societal developments. But a shift in mentality and training in methods, tools and knowledge is needed”, says the school.
In addition to courses and events, the school also runs the information platform Systems Oriented Design in collaboration with their Centre for Design Research and partners. Professor Birger Sevaldson explains the approach: “In Systems Oriented Design we look at businesses and organisations as “ecologies”, he says. “Sustainability is not only a matter of being “green” but also a matter of technology, economy, management, culture, politics and market.”
Solving complex problems for the public sector
The Norwegian public sector is using service design to improve their services, but they also look to Systems Oriented Design as a way to tackle complex issues. In response to the need for more innovation and efficiency in public sector, the Norwegian government launched a new initiative called StimuLab in 2016.
The purpose is to explore new approaches to complex problems and challenges to stimulate innovation in government and to increase the use of service design (including Systems Oriented Design), with a focus on the citizen’s needs.
Must be based on users' needs
In 2019, 20 million Norwegian kroner is being handed out via StimuLab. The funding procures private sector design expertise to carry out an exploratory process. All StimuLab projects must be based on users' needs, and through collaborative learning and experimentation, they seek to find comprehensive solutions.
System Oriented Design is being put into practice by the very best design agencies in Norway, for example Halogen. Amongst many projects, Halogen is currently working with the Norwegian government using service- and Systems Oriented Design to help develop a new white paper on innovation in public sector.