RECODE WEBINAR

RECODE COLLABORATEDESIGNING FOR

SYSTEM CHANGE ON CAMPUSES

A Collaborative Approach

For RECODE, working collaboratively is part of the process AND the

solution to addressing our complex, interconnected, and multi-

dimensional challenges

ROUNDTABLES

CONVENE: bring together a wide variety of interested, relevant people from across the campus systemIDENTIFY PROBLEMS: use the knowledge and experience of these people to clearly describe the challenges and to identify where you want to see change

CHANGE STRATEGY DESIGN

EXPLORE AND CATEGORIZE PROBLEMS: deepen understanding of the problem(s) to help create effective strategiesFOCUS ON THE ROOT CAUSE: push group thinking to question what’s really driving the problems – what are the systemic barriers that hold the problem in place?

EXPLORING THE PROBLEM

What kinds of problems are you focusing

your change efforts on?

How much CERTAINTY?

How much AGREEMENT?

Certainty and Agreement

Stacey Matrix (adapted; Stacey,1996)

STACEY MATRIX

Certainty

Agre

emen

t

Close to Far from

Far f

rom

Clo

se to Simple

Plan, control

Zone of Complexity

Technically Complicated Experiment, coordinate expertise

SociallyComplicated Build relationships, create common ground

ChaosIdentify Patterns

TYPES OF PROBLEMS

SIMPLE PROBLEMS

TECHNICALLY COMPLICATED PROBLEMS

SOCIALLY COMPLICTATED PROBLEMS

COMPLEX PROBLEMS

SIMPLE PROBLEMS

SIMPLEIf you and others are close to agreement about the problem and close to certainty about what to do about it, then you can categorize this problem as SIMPLE – (not necessarily easy, but simple) An effective strategy will require pulling required resources together because you’re basically ready to implement your change plans

TECHNICALLY COMPLICATED

TECHNICALLY COMPLICATEDIf you and others are close to agreement about the problem but far from certainty about what to do about it, then you have a technically complicated problem An effective strategy will require researching/experimenting with various action plans to find one that will work in your context.

SOCIALLY COMPLICATED

SOCIALLY COMPLICATEDIf you and others are close to certainty about a plan that could solve the problem but far from agreement on everyone getting behind the plan, you have a socially complicated problem.An effective strategy will require social processes to develop relationships, facilitate conversations, build consensus.

COMPLEX PROBLEMS

COMPLEXIf you are far from agreement on what the problem is all about/caused by, and also uncertain about what to do about it, then the problem is complex and deeply systemic. An effective strategy will focus on revealing the system to highlight and gain understanding of the problem with the status quo - and empowering the system to imagine a new reality.Systems Change = New Rules and Relationships

Example: Multi-Campus DegreeIDEA: Once accepted into a Canadian University, you can take courses from any university towards your degree.

Why doesn’t this happen now?

• Is it because there isn’t enough agreement that it’s a problem and that something needs to change? why?

• Is it because there isn’t certainty about how to go about making it happen; aren’t sure what to do? Why?

• What kind of problem? Is there more than one kind?

Good Questions for Problems

Consider the problems you’ve identified, and ask:

• How much AGREEMENT is there (among those you need to work with) about if there’s a problem and what the problem actually is?

• How much CERTAINTY is there (among those you need to work with) about what would work; what to do about the problem?

Considering SCALES in campus systems

What scales do you need to consider in defining the

problem AND when you’re imagining change?

Systems have SCALES• Individual scale

• Organizational scale

• Network scale

• Institutional scale

CHANGE differs ACROSS SCALES

Network or group level

A change in conversation A change in routine A change in resource commitment or influence

Institutional level

A change in culture A change in laws/policies A change in resource distribution/availability

Organizational level

A change in strategies A change in procedures A change in resource distribution/availability

Individual level

A change of heart A change of habits A change of ambition

Frances Westley, University of Waterloo

Scale and your campus systemINDIVIDUAL: students (their parents), faculty, staff, senior administrators, etc.GROUP OR NETWORK: student groups, ReCode campus network, faculty or staff associations, etc. ORGANIZATION: Senior Administration, Faculties (Arts, Environment, Political Science, etc), Student Affairs, Finance, Human Resources, etc.INSTITUTIONAL: campus culture (context specific), academic culture(across sector), economic flows (in and out), policies and regulations throughout

Using the Idea of Scale• Is it a problem at every scale? What

does the problem look like, and what would change look like, at different scales?

• Can you identify the scale that is ‘driving’ the problem? What scale holds the root cause?

• What influence does the broadest scale have on the problem you’re trying to address? What change is required at that scale?

Example: Role Reversals

IDEA: Empathy Day or Week: a day or a week when students teach to groups of faculty members.

Why doesn’t this happen now?

• What does this challenge look like at the individual scale? Broadest institutional scale?

• What would change look like at different scales on campus? Where is the key intervention point to START a change process?

Good Questions about Scale

Where does the problem show up in your campus system? At what scale?

Where’s the best scale to BEGIN a change process?

What would change look like at different scales?

What needs to change at the broadest scale?

SOCIAL INNOVATION

Changing a system problem requires change on one or more of inter-connected, system realities:

2023-05-02

the basic routines (how we act; what we do) the resources flows (money, knowledge, people) the authority flows (laws, policies, ‘the rules’) the culture (what we believe is true, right/wrong, etc)

from definition on social innovation by Frances Westley, University of Waterloo

Next Steps: STRATEGY DESIGNDESIGNING SYSTEM CHANGE STRATEGIES: • Choose a strategy to match the type of problem• Engage with, ‘the unusual’ & ‘the opposition’ & those

who you want to ‘serve’• Think about what system scales to focus on –

- ‘At what scale or scales does the problem live?’- ‘At what scale or scales to work for change?’

• Engage all needed to lead change – who can best lead which parts of your strategy? WHO to involve?

hackED Week• Design an intervention that shows

you are thinking about the campus as a system

• Demonstrate what’s possible on your campus!

• Experiment with new thinking and action!

• Spark imagination across your/many campuses!

• Learn and share how to begin creating the conditions for campus systems to change!

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