When I worked in schools as a teacher I absolutely loved it. On multiple occasions I remarked that I would do that kind of work for free. Of course, I was younger, and didn’t have as many responsibilities in my life.
Since that time, I’ve worked at a university, for tech companies, and founded my own consultancy business as well as a co-operative. But nothing has been as fulfilling as teaching.
There’s actually nothing to stop me going back into the classroom. But I’m not sure that looking backwards is the best way to go about planning for the future. As a result, and especially with being under-employed this year, I’ve felt a bit like I’ve been ‘on the bench’.
I’m ready to come on and play my part, and in fact have been adding different facets to ‘my game’ through the MSc I’ve started and keeping up-to-date with various developments — particularly in AI. But I’m not entirely sure what to do next. What’s the second half of my career going to look like?
Perhaps I’m just going through the entirely predictable midlife slump. Perhaps I just need to stop waiting for the right opportunity to present itself and instead go and create it.
I’m writing this before the EUROs final between Spain and England but after Carlos Alcaraz absolutely demolished Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon Men’s singles final. I’m tired after having a migraine this morning due to a disturbed night’s sleep — for reasons I’d rather not get into. I’ve also spent time in the swimming pool with my daughter walking backwards and forwards through the water for rehabilitation as she recovers from a knee injury.
This week I’ve decided to have a bit of a summer digital detox, and tried to catch up with some MSc work:
WAO had the internal kick-off meeting for the new Job Readiness Credentials project we’re starting with JFF, IRC, and Participate. I wrote about it in this blog post. The client kick-off meeting is tomorrow. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it. Somewhat cheekily, I’ve already submitted a proposal related to it for ePIC 2024 which will be in Paris in November. I’ve also submitted a workshop proposal based on mapping Open Recognition skills using AI.
I did some work on the comms and storytelling project with the DCC as we finish that off, sent out the ORE announcement for this month, and submitted a proposal to Friends of the Earth for some Mozilla-funded work around ‘Greening AI’. I’ve set up an instance of Writebook, which has a fantastic UI and with which Laura and I have already started experimenting. She’s also been working on designing us a new website (still WIP).
There’s not much else to say other than we had an exercise bike delivered which syncs with various apps so we can do some virtual cycling, I booked my place for the Systems Innovation Conference 2024 (London, September), and I’ve done a bit more planning for our family holiday to the Azores in just over two weeks.
Next week, I’ll be working on the Job Readiness Credentials project, putting in proposals for more new work, collaborating with my colleagues during a co-op half-day, and supporting my family. It’s the last week of school for our two teenagers, and for our youngest it’s her last week at middle school!
Phenomenology is a philosophical approach focusing on subjective experience and perception. It’s one of those long, impressive-sounding words that actually means something reasonably straightforward:
[Phenomenology] seeks to investigate the universal features of consciousness while avoiding assumptions about the external world, aiming to describe phenomena as they appear to the subject, and to explore the meaning and significance of the lived experiences
(Wikipedia)
As such, phenomenology plays a significant role in systems thinking. In what follows, I want to explore how phenomenology contributes to a deeper grasp and more effective practice of systems thinking.
Systems thinking involves understanding and addressing complex problems by viewing them as interconnected wholes rather than isolated parts. Phenomenology complements systems thinking by providing a method to capture and analyse human experiences and perspectives within these systems.
One practical application of phenomenology in systems thinking is cognitive mapping. This tool captures an individual’s reasoning about a situation, helping to weave together multiple perspectives into a comprehensive cause map. By reflecting on the cognitive processes and subjective experiences of stakeholders, systems practitioners can gain valuable insights into the dynamics of the systems they are analysing.
The MSc module I am studying (TB871) provides detailed guidance on using cognitive mapping to analyse reasoning and develop strategic options. As the module materials note, recognising the significance of multiple perspectives is crucial in organisational problem-solving and collaborative decision-making (The Open University, 2020).
SODA is an approach that exemplifies the integration of phenomenology in systems thinking. It involves creating cognitive maps to capture the reasoning and perceptions of individuals involved in a situation. These individual maps are then combined to form a collective understanding, which helps in identifying strategic options and making informed decisions.
The approach taken when using the SODA approach recognises that different stakeholders have different perspectives and experiences, and these are critical to understanding the full scope of a problem. By using cognitive mapping, SODA captures these diverse viewpoints, facilitating a richer and more comprehensive analysis of the situation. This method supports collaborative decision-making by ensuring that all voices are heard and considered.
Integrating phenomenology into systems thinking offers several benefits:
Enhanced understanding: by focusing on subjective experiences, phenomenology helps to uncover deeper insights into complex systems.
Improved decision-making: considering diverse perspectives leads to more informed and effective decisions.
Collaborative problem-solving: a phenomenological approach fosters mutual understanding and collaboration among stakeholders, which is essential for addressing complex issues.
While phenomenology offers significant benefits, integrating it with systems thinking can also present challenges. Balancing subjective insights with objective analysis requires careful consideration, and practitioners must be skilled in both phenomenological methods and systems thinking tools to effectively combine these approaches.
In conclusion, then, phenomenology enriches systems thinking by bringing in human experiences and subjective realities. This integration enhances our grasp of complex systems, leading to better decision-making and collaborative problem-solving.
