Service Design Book Club: Thinking In Systems (Chapter 5 - End)
What Will We Be Reading?
Thinking in Systems
(Chapter 5 - End)
Thinking in Systems is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem-solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. Edited by the Sustainability Institute's Diana Wright, this essential primer brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations and into the tangible world, showing listeners how to develop the systems-thinking skills that thought leaders across the globe consider critical for 21st-century life.
Some of the biggest problems facing the world - war, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation - are essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous power to undermine the best efforts of too-narrow thinking.
While listeners will learn the conceptual tools and methods of systems thinking, the heart of the book is grander than methodology. Donella Meadows was known as much for nurturing positive outcomes as she was for delving into the science behind global dilemmas. She reminds listeners to pay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable, to stay humble, and to stay a learner.
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Where Can I Get the Book?
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How Does This Book Club Work?
We're tackling each book over the course of 2-3 meetings to work through the book together in a way that's sustainable and supportive for busy professionals.
Don’t stress if you haven’t read the previous chapters or only managed to skim these! The real goal of this book club is to learn from each others’ lived experiences and to explore what theory looks like in practice!
We want to make reading service design books easy and fun for everyone. While we want to build accountability, we’re not here to be another thing for you to feel guilty about.
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Who is This For?
Anyone interested in service design! Whether you're a seasoned service designer, someone looking to pivot into service design, or just curious about how service design principles can apply to your field of work, everyone is welcome.
Great discussions come out of varied work experiences and perspectives. Feeling shy about your limited service design experience? Don't be, the goal is to learn together!
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What is Service Design?
Service design is an interdisciplinary practice that leverages research to solve problems in a system or service, leveraging design thinking to solve the problem. Service designers look holistically at an entire service ecosystem, leveraging the perspectives of employees, customers, and stakeholders to deliver a cohesive service solution.
No matter your title, anyone can do service design work or benefit from learning about these design concepts. Join us to learn more!
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What Should I Expect?
Fun vibes and a great discussion! We'll be going over our thoughts about a few chapters, chatting about how it relates to our professional experiences, and learning about each other along the way.
Rosenblum is a winery that specializes in Zinfandels. We typically grab some drinks and small bites to share while discussing the book!
Got something that bothered you or sparked a flame while you were reading? What about a burning question that came up during the reading? Write that down and bring it up during our discussion! This conversation is what we want to make of it. It also makes my job easier as the facilitator 😉.
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How Do I Get There?
Ferry: For those that would prefer the scenic route to Jack London, grab the ferry from San Francisco or Alameda to the Oakland Ferry Terminal right in front of Rosenblum.
BART: Both the 12th St Station and Lake Merritt Station are within walking distance of Rosenblum.
Car: For those driving, the most convenient places to park are the garages at 101 Washington Street (over Yoshi's) or 98 Broadway (under Plank). Street parking is also available.
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How Will I Find the Group?
When you get to Rosenblum, look for an SDN sign at one of the outdoor tables, most likely the big ones on either end. In the event of loud noise or poor weather, we may grab a table inside. If you can't find us, email sdnsf15@gmail.com.
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How Can I Stay In the Loop?
We'll be sending out emails about the book club meetings on top of updating the Service Design Network Slack and a fledgling WhatsApp group. To get added to any of these, email us at sdnsf15@gmail.com!
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Can I Suggest a Book for Us to Read?
Leave any book suggestions or thoughts you'd like to share in the feedback form: Open Google Form
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Don't miss out on this chance to expand your knowledge and build connections in a casual and supportive environment. We hope to see you there!