The article reports on an innovative course in systemic innovation where SOD played a central role. The course was held at the Norwegian Business School (BI) as a collaboration between BI, Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO), Design and Architecture Norway (DOGA) and D-box a collaborative initiative for improving public services.

Additional follow up courses are planned.

How can a systems perspective help us navigate unfamiliar terrain?

The D-box course in system-oriented innovation in the public sector has been completed for the first time and of course it had to be marked with a celebration of both the subject and the people. Because as Andreas Wettre, senior lecturer at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Department of Design so aptly began the final seminar with: “This course has been doubly good. It has provided significant professional development in the intersection between design, management and strategy – and it has contributed to building competence and creating value in the public sector.” The course has not “just” provided learning and 7.5 credits to the participants. Because the participants have worked with real challenges, it has already left its mark on real work in both municipalities and businesses! And it will continue with full force, because all the students have concrete plans for how to take the work forward. To stimulate further learning, even after the course has ended, D-box has created a joint alumni channel in Teams where those who wish can share their assignment – and continue discussions and exchange of experiences. It will be exciting to follow what the sum of disciplines and people can create in terms of innovation in the public sector and value for society!

Foto: Hanne-Cecilie Bjørka / D-box

Knowledge and tools to handle complex challenges

The public sector is facing an increasing number of complex challenges that cannot be handled with conventional methods; first investigating and planning, and then executing and implementing. This applies to major societal challenges such as the climate crisis, social exclusion, social security and the need for labor, but also smaller entanglements that require transformation and cooperation between multiple actors. The goal of the course was therefore to provide students with the knowledge and tools to successfully handle such challenges by adopting a holistic approach that combines critical systems thinking, design methods, innovation and strategic management.

“As the public sector faces more complex challenges, we as education providers must offer new solutions that meet the need for expertise. I am proud to contribute to a multidisciplinary course in systems-oriented innovation together with the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO), adapted to the challenges of the public sector.”
— Thomas Hoholm, Pro-Rector for Academic Resources at BI

Complex challenges in line

The common thread and theme throughout the course has been grappling with real challenges from one’s own working life that do not have a single simple solutions, but that require interdisciplinary development, cooperation between several actors and long-term efforts. None of the participants had problems finding such a challenge. Everyone experienced a number of such challenges in their own working life and there was great variation in the topics they worked on:

“The course has given us a license to explore and apply new methods and tools to tasks we would have to solve anyway.”
— participant

Different challenges, similar learning needs and experiences

Despite everyone working on their own specific challenges, it quickly became clear that there were great similarities when it came to learning needs:

• Knowledge of systems-oriented innovation and how critical systems thinking can be used to understand complex problems.
• Practical skills in methods that can be used to map and analyze systems, such as Gigamapping, ZIP analysis and foresight methods.
• Knowledge of leading innovation processes by assembling and leading interdisciplinary teams, facilitating co-creative processes and realizing change.

It also turned out that what they experienced in the field, when they had to use what they had learned, was quite similar to what they were rehearsing in the course.

When the map doesn’t match the terrain

A realization that several people gained during their studies was that the map that the business or municipality uses to manage its operations doesn’t necessarily match the terrain. Because traditional methods don’t capture complexity, there is a risk of making the wrong decisions. One of the student groups therefore explored whether system-oriented design can help us navigate in an unknown terrain, where we don’t have a map that matches – and several of their conclusions were very apt for what many of the other groups had also experienced.

“When thoughts become texts, we force precision. But when thoughts become drawings, we find context and creativity.”
— participant / Martin Hill Oppegaard, Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Children and Families.

The map shows the complexity and number of activities involved in public services for children and young people in Gol Municipality

“I asked questions and he drew, and together with the other participants we found innovation points in 10 minutes.”
— participant

Systems Oriented Design creates interdisciplinary arenas

Complexity is best handled together rather than alone, and Systems Oriented Design creates interdisciplinary arenas. Systems Oriented Design facilitates handling multiple perspectives at the same time – which provides richer insight. It is also a suitable method for getting from insight to action even if you have not mapped out everything or agreed on everything (which will probably never happen). Then it is not so scary to actively put yourself in a situation where you know you will reap opposition, which is important. When innovation is the goal, friction is an important “means”. And we can tolerate friction, as long as we have empathy for each other.

“We stopped thinking, ‘What does the finished map look like?’ and started asking, ‘What are we learning now?’”
— participant

Map of actors in the specialist health service and the Supplier Development Program (LUP).

“We learned by doing – not by waiting to understand everything.”
— participant

Not just one set of methods, but a mindset

As the challenges facing the public sector become more interconnected, while both the pace and the risks increase, we need methods that:

• make complexity manageable
• promote cross-functional collaboration
• give us the courage (and methods) to act — and learn
• activate our imagination

But perhaps even more than “new” methods and tools, we need to develop new mindsets. We must be open to the fact that we do not understand everything right away, and that we may never do so. At the same time, we must recognize that we must act anyway. We must practice tolerating that the map is drawn as we go, and that we therefore cannot figure everything out until we start ‘doing’. And we must think that insight is something we create together — not separately — and while we are doing, not just before we start acting.

Teaching staff participating from AHO:

Senior lecturer Andreas Wettre

Professor Jonathan Romm

Associate Professor Joakim Formoe