Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

48 ChapterTo see challenges in a new lightwe sometimes have to literallysee them differently.security staff who were rightfully looking out for their ownjob.Today, the challenges we face have reached a new level ofcomplexity and volatility for which spreadsheets and otherfamiliar analytical tools are insufficient. To see challenges ina new light we sometimes have to literally see them differently—nospreadsheet would have changed the mind of thesecurity staff. This is why visualisation as a formof analysis rather than illustration is more effectivewhen it is used as part of the thinking process,not applied after the fact to pretty up ideasthat are fully formed. To deliver on the intentionof having a circular ring of chairs requiredexploring the safety concerns through scale drawings thatenabled our team to analyse different options and the risksinherent to each.Successful design does not end with good ideas. It alsoinvolves bringing people together to convert ideas intoactions, which is the role of stewardship. Strategic designersare capable of contributing over the duration of a changeprocess, providing regular feedback to identify, test, reworkand deliver durable solutions. This is why we were not dismayedwhen we discovered that the plans were not perfect aswe set up the chairs on the eve of the event. The advance teamdiscovered that one giant ring was unwieldy in practice, butbecause we had a clear intent (to foster as intimate a discussionas possible among 120 people) an in-the-moment decisionto split into two concentric rings was easy to make.Although this episode has now been given far moreattention than it deserves, we tell this story because it allowsus to illustrate the interrelationship between the attitude,approach and abilities which together form a way of working.As a whole they enabled our team to navigate from vision tostrategic intent, and then to execution of plans and stewardshipof successful outcomes.