1. Systems Change
Susan S. Jakes, Ph.D.
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

2. Systems Change Understanding Systems Theory
How systems affect our work
Systems thinking
Defining systems to create change
Identifying key levers: Making change pervasive and powerful
Predicting roadblocks
Keys to success
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

3. Systems Nothing happens in a vacuum Domino effect
The band-aid approach
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

4. Systems, What Are They?
Regularly interacting or interrelated groups of individuals, activities, organizations and their social and physical environment
Parts connected by a web of relationships acting as a whole
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

5. System Qualities Interdependence Feedback + Homeostasis = adaptive
Dynamic processes, not static
Maintain the status quo
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

6. Notes from previous slide
Feedback + Homeostasis = adaptive
Dynamic processes, not static
Maintain the status quo
Whole is greater than the sum of its parts – A system is interdependent. This means that a change in one part creates ripple effect across all of its relationships. When I was a child, I first got interested in systems upon reading a Ray Bradbury short story in which some people go back in time and get off the path that will keep them from affecting anything and this little boy steps on a butterfly and when he comes back to current time, everything is different.
Systems maintain homeostasis. Homeostasis is the property which regulates the internal environment so as to maintain a stable, constant condition. So this means when there are changes in the environment, feedback in received, and organisms adjust to maintain stability – this is adaptation.
Systems are never static, as little changes happen they are always dynamically responding. Through all of these processes, the nature of systems is to maintain the status quo.
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

7. The Nature of Systems Open and closed systems
Organismic versus mechanistic
An open system is impacted by elements in its environment – a closed system is not, it is completely bounded. Closed systems are really just theoretical, but any system is open to some influences and closed to others.
Systems thinking resulted from a shift in thinking mechanistically to organismically. Mechanistic thinking is a reductionist approach that tries to understand how things work as a machine. It tries to break things into parts and understand them as a way to understand the whole function. This is the primary way program planning and evaluation is still conceptualized.
Organismic thinking seeks to understand processes or systems as organisms. If you know my muscles and vessels and how they work and my bones etc, you could add them up and never expect the creative and spiritual being that are humans. There is a whole that is an entity totally different than the sum of its parts and must be understood as an entity. For systems thinkers, they see systems as entities that must be understood separately from their parts. Think of a community in a small town. It is a system of relationships, its natural resources, culture, lore, human capital, infrastructure, past experiences etc.
It is alive and dynamic. Any event or change causes ripples across the system. Does anyone have an example from a community in which they work or live?
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

8. Notes from previous slide
An open system is impacted by elements in its environment – a closed system is not, it is completely bounded. Closed systems are really just theoretical, but any system is open to some influences and closed to others.
Systems thinking resulted from a shift in thinking mechanistically to organismically. Mechanistic thinking is a reductionist approach that tries to understand how things work as a machine. It tries to break things into parts and understand them as a way to understand the whole function. This is the primary way program planning and evaluation is still conceptualized.
Organismic thinking seeks to understand processes or systems as organisms. If you know my muscles and vessels and how they work and my bones etc, you could add them up and never expect the creative and spiritual being that are humans. There is a whole that is an entity totally different than the sum of its parts and must be understood as an entity. For systems thinkers, they see systems as entities that must be understood separately from their parts. Think of a community in a small town. It is a system of relationships, its natural resources, culture, lore, human capital, infrastructure, past experiences etc.
It is alive and dynamic. Any event or change causes ripples across the system. Does anyone have an example from a community in which they work or live?
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

9. But What Does It All Mean?= + +
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

10. Reality
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11. Types of Change Episodic versus continuous
Incremental – first order change
Radical – second order change
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

12. “A change in a system level outcome is not the same as, nor does it guarantee, systems change” (Foster-Fishman & Behrens, 2007)
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

13. Systems change is a change to the interaction between the parts rather than to the parts themselves. Changes to individual parts only create change in their ability to leverage change in other parts. These interactions need to be the focus of our intervention…
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

14. Systems Thinking
A general conceptual orientation concerned with the interrelationships between parts and their relationships to a functioning whole (Trochim, Cabrera, Millstein, Gallagher & Leischow, 2006)
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

15. Tipping Points
What are some changes that have become quickly widespread you’ve observed in your lifetime?
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

16. Mental Models Change is behavioral Begins at the individual level
Requires a change in thinking, more than knowledge and skills
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17. Discourse Method of creating new mental models Key stakeholders
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18. Functional systems thinking
OBESE PERSON
family
work
community
Society/
policy
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19. Boundaries (Foster-Fishman 2007)
How the problem is defined
Who and what should be considered as part of the system
Don’t forget to consider interactions as elements
Often need to be expanded
Need to be examined and negotiated with stakeholders
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20. Taking action
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21. Levers for Change Lever is what creates movement or change
Levers need to trigger change in multiple layers of the system
indiv
indiv
family
Powerful
lever
policy
work
Weak
Lever
policy
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

22. Identifying Levers Defining the problem Analyze
Bring stakeholders to the table to outline various perspectives on problem
Stakeholders also identify various root causes of the problem and patterns of independence
Analyze
Compile problem definitions and interdependent systems
Identify key leverage points that can result in second order change
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

23. Some Issues to Understand: (Foster-Fishman, Nowell & Yang, 2007, P
System norms
System resources
System regulation
Power and decision making
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

24. Notes from previous page
Norms: what are current assumptions, values, theories in use that guide the ways things work?
Resources: do system members have skills and knowledge to function in new system?
Are there champions for change?
How are relationships maintaining the current system or seeking change?
What needs cause resource allocation currently, are there resources to meet new or competing needs?
Regulations: What policy and procedures exacerbate the problem, which would have to be changed, 3which support change?
Power and DM: who has authority to make change? Who controls resources and information needed?
Do movers and shakers support or hinder change?
The answers to these questions can be put into a spreadsheet or onto a visual representation of the system. The goal here is to expand your thinking of the system, what maintains the status quo and where there might be potentials to create change
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

25. Identifying Levers (Foster-Fishman, Nowell & Yang, 2007, p. 206)
What system elements seem inconsistent with the goal?
Which parts or interactions could trigger system wide changes?
What triggers can actually be leveraged given resources and understandings?
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

26. Leveraging Change Con’t (Foster-Fishman, Nowell & Yang, 2007, p. 206)
What impact will leveraging one part or interaction have on other parts of the system?
What enduring patterns will impede change, how will they be overcome?
“What linkages between system parts could be created or altered to align system functioning with the system change goals”
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

27. Predicting Roadblocks
Hidden power structures
Investment in the status quo
Finding a third way
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

28. Keys to Success
Multiple worldviews may help transform thinking about the system
Understanding the root cause
Change the interrelationships, not any single system component
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

29. What have been your experiences with systems change?
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU

30. Key resource Special issue on Systems Change
American Journal of Community Psychology, Vol 39, 3-4 June 2007
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31. Susan Scherffius Jakes susan_jakes@ncsu.edu
Susan S. Jakes - NCSU