Si Network
Activities
Overview
Activities are what the Si network does in terms of concrete services for users. The function of a Si Hub is to build ecosystems for systems level-
innovation. We do this by informing, connecting, building knowledge, enabling collaborations, and working on projects. For each of these
functions, there is a distinct service through which it is realized.
Learning
Learning about
Systems Thinking and systems change
Creating
Working on real world projects; design jams innovation sprints etc.
Activity Format
Connecting
Connecting people
and building a community through different kinds of
events
Awareness
Building a network and informing people about
systems innovation
Awareness
Overview
Many are still unaware of the new approach of systems innovation and how they can be of value to them. Thus it all starts with awareness, making a little noise so that the world knows about what this new approach have to offer and how they
can be involved.
Support
Advisory, support or consulting services
Informing Formats
Research
Provide research and analysis
Media
Using media channels to inform and reach
new people
Media
The best way to rase awareness is through the many media channels the internet provides to connect with a potentially large audience and let them know about what systems innovation is and how it can be of value
to them.
Research
This activity involves functioning as something of a research/analysis center, or think tank to provide a
systems innovation approach or perspective on a given topic or issue, the output being some media
content, analysis paper, white paper or position paper.
Support
Systems thinking can be applied to creating new insights and innovative solutions within almost any area, but maybe an organization is not sure where to
start or needs a helping hand? This format offers support or consulting on the use and application of
systems thinking and systems change ideas and methods in a specific area.
Learn
Learning Format
Presentations
Presentations based on Si guides’ contents
Workshops
Workshops that explore concepts hands-on
Case Studies
Examples of systems innovation projects
Content
Developing education content.
Overview
The training formats are designed for us to collaboratively learn new ideas and approaches. Many people joining an event will have only a limited understanding of systems thinking, complexity, and systems change, for this reason, we focus on education as a key activity. The aim here is to provide an open space for people to
learn systems innovation together; developing a community of practice with a shared body of knowledge around what systems innovation is and how to make it
happen.
Presentations
Learning is enabled by Hub Facilitators who provide presentations based on the Systems
Innovation Guide content.
Workshops
A training workshop is a type of interactive training where participants carry out a number of activities rather than simply listen to a lecture
or presentation. Unlike lecturing, training is not about giving people information, it is about what
they do with that information, how does it change their behavior.
Field Study
This format is design to illustrate the workings of systems innovation ideas,
models or methods in practice. It will likely take a presentation style given by one or more people with experience in practice.
Educational Content
Here we the aim is to develop documents, methods, guides, case studies or any number
of different tools that may assist and support learning.
Connect
Connecting Formats
Speakings
Invite guess speaker to give presentation
Forum
How a discussion forum
Fireside
Host an interview
Open Space
Host an open space
Overview
This set of formats involves creating a context for people to connect. Connections form when there is a context within which members recognize each other and the value of an exchange. This requires a narrative and organizational structure for people to connect and exchange ideas and experiences. We are asking what is the complementarity, what are the synergies. How can value be created by connecting things, by bridging gaps? In this way we
work to facilitate meaningful cross-domain discussion, that challenge and inspire people to use systems innovation to increase our transformation capacity.
Knowledge Transfer
Providing a networking space for the exchange of ideas from one place or group to others.
Discussion
Change starts with discussion; for people to find commonalities in their perspective and interests
Key
Functions
Informing
Keeping people informed as to what is happening plus new developments in the area
Key Issues
Surface and discuss issues that are of relevance to members; user-
generated conversations.
Speakings
This format involves organizing a guest speaking.
The speaking may be inspiring and motivational, informative, or educational.
Fireside Chats
Informal yet structured interview between a moderator and a guest. This format involves
a one-to-one discussion with a person to go in-depth on their knowledge or experience.
Forum
This format involves connecting a number of
people with knowledge and experience on a topic to create an animated and informed discussion,
with space for Q&A from audience.
Open Spaces
This format involves creating space for people to have open discussion around a given topic of
their interest. It is user-created as members
propose topics of interest to them for discussion and then lead the conversation within groups
that focus on different topics of interest.
Create
Projects
Time to put our learning into action. The "create"
formats involve working on real-world projects that can be generated by the community itself or pitched by an
external organization for the community to work on.
Challenges are real-world problems that we invite
external organizations to bring in for the community to work on. This might be mapping the material flows in your city, developing a circular economy for food, better
solutions for homelessness or to rethink the local educational system. In all cases, these are real
challenges with real applications.
Designing
Systems Design jams to prototype new
solutions
Changing
Leverage points mapping to find possible points of
change intervention
Creating Formats
Mapping
Systems mapping to better understand the
system as a whole
Ideating
Systems thinking and futuring to change the paradigm and imagine
new possibilities
Ideation
The ideation activity is design to rethinking the challenge at hand, to start to think holistically to imagine a
new paradigm to how we do things.
Systems Mapping
This activity involved getting a group together for them to work on building a system map.
The aim of systems mapping is to give us an in- depth analysis of the current state of the system.
Changing
The Change Activity involves using a
systems map to identify leverage points.
These are points to intervene in the system where small changes can have
large effects.
Design Jams
Similar to design jams or hackathons,
“makathons" are where we put systems design to work on a specific issue to collaborate around
creating some deliverable prototype.
