Tag: Viable System Model

Note: this is a post reflecting on one of the modules of my MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice. You can see all of the related posts in this category. 

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In previous posts, I have defined all five systems of the Viable System Model (VSM) in relation to my system of interest, which is ‘a system to promote lifelong learning’ in a library context:

• System 1
• System 2
• System 3 (and 3*)
• System 4
• System 5

I find VSM diagrams confusing to look at and clunky to produce. Thankfully, I’m not alone in this! In my conversation with Steve Brewis, he said that he tends to put the data straight into MATLAB, and in an exchange with Patrick Hoverstadt (author of the chapter on VSM in the course text) he said he tends to use a table:

I’m still figuring out the snowflake representation of the VSM, so for now I’m going to represent all five in tabular format.

System	Function	Components
System 1: Primary Operations	Core activities or units that perform essential work and produce primary value for the external environment	Educational delivery: Provides high-quality educational programs and courses tailored to the needs of lifelong learners Technological support: Ensures the technological infrastructure to support e-learning and digital literacy Learner support: Offers comprehensive assistance to enhance the learning experience and outcomes for learners Community engagement: Promotes lifelong learning within the community and establishes/sustains partnerships with local organisations and businesses Evaluation & feedback: Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of lifelong learning initiatives and incorporates feedback for continuous improvement
System 2: Coordination	Ensures different operational units (System 1s) work harmoniously without conflicts	Common standards and protocols: Ensures consistency in cataloguing, classification, lending procedures, and managing digital resources Agreed communication channels: Facilitates effective communication between different parts of the library and external stakeholders Monitoring and feedback systems: Tracks performance through user surveys, suggestion boxes, and digital feedback forms Conflict resolution mechanisms: Addresses disputes among staff and between staff and users through clear procedures Staff training and development: Provides continuous training and professional development opportunities for staff Coordination with external partners: Manages collaborations with other libraries, educational institutions, and community organisations Resource allocation/management: Allocates budgets, staff, and equipment effectively across departments and branches
System 3: Management of Delivery	Oversees and controls the operations, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness	Allocating resources: Distributes resources such as books, digital materials, staff, and funding Monitoring performance: Sets standards, collects data, and analyses results to identify areas for improvement Implementing policies: Translates high-level policies into actionable plans for operational units Resolving conflicts: Mediates disputes and manages conflicts of interest between departments Optimising operations: Continuously improves and streamlines library operations
System 3: Monitoring*	Independent component performing checks and balances	Independent audits: Conducts regular reviews to verify the efficient and effective use of resources Transparency and accountability: Provides unbiased assessments of library operations to maintain high service standards Feedback for improvement: Offers valuable feedback to inform decisions and guide necessary changes
System 4: Development and Planning	Focuses on the external environment and future planning	Environmental scanning: Monitors trends in education, technology, and community needs External communications: Manages non-operational communications with external stakeholders and promotes lifelong learning initiatives Innovation: Encourages and implements new ideas and methods to enhance lifelong learning Managing change: Develops and implements change management plans for new initiatives Organisational modelling: Maintains a comprehensive model of the library’s operations and its alignment with lifelong learning objectives
System 5: Governance	Ensures the organisation functions cohesively and maintains its identity	Policy development and oversight: Creates policies to promote an inclusive learning environment Strategic partnerships: Builds and maintains relationships with educational institutions, technology providers, and community organisations Monitoring and adaptation: Continuously monitors educational trends and adapts programmes and services Resource allocation: Ensures resources are effectively allocated to support both current operations and future initiatives

In terms of the Environment in which this system operates, it includes the following:

External Environment	Examples
Government policy	Local government policies that support public libraries, national education policies promoting lifelong learning, and grants for digital literacy programs.
Legal frameworks	Copyright laws affecting the use of digital resources, data protection regulations for handling user information, and accessibility laws ensuring resources are available to people with disabilities.
Economic conditions	Local economic conditions affecting funding and donations, economic downturns leading to increased demand for free educational resources, and partnerships with local businesses for sponsorships.
Research funding	Grants from educational foundations for developing new learning programs, government funding for community education projects, and research collaborations with universities.
Educational trends	Growing emphasis on STEM education, increasing demand for digital literacy, and trends in adult education focusing on career development and lifelong learning.
Technological advances	The introduction of e-books and online learning platforms, advancements in library management systems, and the use of AI for personalised learning experiences.
Community needs	Demographic changes such as an aging population requiring new educational programs, community interest in sustainability and environmental education, and feedback from patrons requesting specific resources or services.
Stakeholders	Patrons (library users of all ages and backgrounds), educators (teachers, university lecturers, and vocational trainers), local government officials involved in funding and policy-making, and funding bodies providing grants and donations.

Not included in all of this, of course, is the context in which all of this operates. For example, I’m writing this on the day of a General Election in the UK. The expectation is that we’ll be kicking out a government that instituted austerity and cuts to funding for public services, and replacing it with one which will hopefully channel money away from private pockets and into the public purse. That changes the nature of what libraries can offer, because with more certainty and more funding, virtuous feedback loops start appearing.

Note: this is a post reflecting on one of the modules of my MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice. You can see all of the related posts in this category. 

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The Viable System Model (VSM) comprises five systems. This post focuses on System 5:

System 5: Governance — Ensures that the organisation as a whole functions cohesively and maintains its identity. It balances the present operational needs (System 3) with future planning (System 4). It deals with high-level decision-making, values, policies, and overall governance to ensure consistency and alignment with the organisation’s goals and principles.

Taken from TB871: The five systems of the Viable System Model (VSM)

System 5 within the Viable System Model (VSM) plays a crucial role in maintaining an organisation’s governance and identity. It oversees the balance between managing current operations (System 3) and adapting to future changes (System 4). This balance ensures that the organisation can respond effectively to both immediate and long-term needs.

Hoverstadt (2020) outlines two approaches to defining an organisation’s identity:

• Purpose-based definition: This approach describes the system based on its purpose, using a formula: “a system to do x by means of y for purpose z.” This approach considers the relationships with stakeholders, categorised using the ‘TASCOI’ mnemonic (Transformation, Actors, Suppliers, Customers, Owners, Interveners).
• Structural coupling: This approach emphasises the system’s relationships and boundaries, focusing on what is inside versus outside the boundary. It offers a comprehensive view by considering multiple perspectives, making it particularly useful for modelling existing organisational systems.

System 5 performs three key functions:

1. Governance: Ensures the organisation functions as a viable system, capable of self-management and maintaining a healthy relationship with its environment. (This may involve dissolving the organisation if necessary.)
2. Identity maintenance: Responsible for creating, maintaining, or recreating the organisation’s identity.
3. Understanding the meta-system: Maintains an understanding of the relationship between the system-in-focus and the larger system in which it operates.

These roles can be challenging to identify but are important for effective governance. They involve maintaining a coherent strategy that aligns with both immediate and long-term organisational needs.

Applying System 5 to my system of interest

My system of interest is ‘a system to promote lifelong learning’ in the context of libraries. System 5 within this context needs to balance the management of current library operations (System 3) with future educational needs and technological advancements (System 4). This ensures the library can meet both immediate and long-term educational objectives.

Taking the two approaches to organisational identity:

• Purpose-based definition: For a lifelong learning system in libraries, the purpose could be defined as “a system to facilitate continuous education by providing resources and support for self-directed learning.” This approach would consider relationships with various stakeholders such as patrons, educators, local communities, and government bodies, using the TASCOI mnemonic (Transformation, Actors, Suppliers, Customers, Owners, Interveners). In this case:
  • Transformation: Promoting learning and skill development.
  • Actors: Librarians, educational partners, volunteers.
  • Suppliers: Book publishers, digital content providers, educational institutions.
  • Customers: Learners of all ages, community members seeking educational resources.
  • Owners: Library management, local government.
  • Interveners: Educational policymakers, funding bodies.
• Structural Coupling: This approach in a library system promoting lifelong learning involves managing interactions with stakeholders like patrons, educational partners, and the community to adapt to technological advances and evolving educational needs while maintaining its identity as a learning hub. Continuous assessment, strong relationships, and integrating new technologies are all required. Local and national governments play a crucial role by providing funding, setting standards, and regulating operations. Libraries must align with these regulations and government priorities to secure support and maintain their role as pivotal centres for lifelong learning.

Moving on to the three key functions mentioned earlier:

1. Governance: Ensures the library functions as a viable system, capable of self-management and maintaining a beneficial relationship with its educational environment. This might involve policy-making to adapt to new educational trends or technologies and sometimes discontinuing outdated programmes.
2. Identity maintenance: Responsible for creating, maintaining, or evolving the library’s identity as a centre for lifelong learning. This involves continuous evaluation and alignment of the library’s mission with community educational needs and technological advancements.
3. Understanding the meta-system: Maintains an understanding of the relationship between the library system and the larger educational ecosystem. This involves recognising how changes in the broader educational landscape affect the library’s role and adapting accordingly.

So, in practice, System 5 in a lifelong learning system within libraries would ensure:

• Policy development and oversight: Creating policies that encourage the creation an inclusive learning environment, such as offering diverse learning materials and facilitating access to digital resources.
• Strategic partnerships: Building and maintaining relationships with educational institutions, technology providers, and community organisations to enhance learning opportunities.
• Monitoring and adaptation: Continuously monitoring external educational trends and internal performance to adapt programmes and services. For example, introducing new workshops on digital literacies in response to growing technological demands.
• Resource allocation: Ensuring resources are effectively allocated to support both current operations and future educational initiatives, balancing immediate needs with long-term goals.

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My next task will be to put together all of these diagrams into a single one which shows how Systems 1-5 in my system of interest work together. I think I’ll leave that to another day and head to the gym now… 😅

References

• Hoverstadt, P. (2020). ‘The Viable System Model’. In Reynolds, M. & Holwell, S. (eds.) (2020). Systems Approaches to Making Change: A Practical Guide. London: Springer, pp.89-138.

Note: this is a post reflecting on one of the modules of my MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice. You can see all of the related posts in this category. 

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The Viable System Model (VSM) comprises five systems. This post focuses on System 4:

System 4: Development and Planning — Focuses on the external environment and future planning. It involves activities related to market research, innovation, strategic planning, and adaptation to changes in the external environment. It ensures the organisation remains relevant and can respond to future opportunities and threats.

Taken from TB871: The five systems of the Viable System Model (VSM)

Within the VSM, System 4 plays a crucial role in managing development and maintaining strategic balance. The above diagram attempts to show this.

Managing Development

System 4 is tasked with ensuring an organisation remains viable by focusing on long-term development and adaptation. Its primary functions include:

1. Environmental scanning: Continuously monitoring the external environment for changes and potential future shifts. This activity is vital for identifying strategic risks and opportunities.
2. External communications: Handling communications that are not directly related to operations. This function ensures the organisation stays connected with external stakeholders and adapts to external expectations and trends.
3. Innovation: Encouraging and implementing new ideas and methods. By encouraging a culture of innovation, System 4 helps the organisation evolve and stay competitive.
4. Change management: Overseeing the processes of change within the organisation. This includes planning and implementing changes effectively to minimise disruption and maximise benefits.
5. Organisational modelling: Developing and maintaining a model of the organisation to understand its structure, processes, and alignment with the external environment.

Failures in System 4 can lead to an organisation becoming rigid and unable to respond to external changes. There are many storied examples of this, including companies such as Kodak, Blockbuster, and Polaroid who failed to respond to changes in their environment, losing not only their sector-leading position, but eventually going bankrupt.

Strategic Balance

Balancing the present and future needs of an organisation is a key responsibility of System 4. Traditional strategic models often fall short because they rely on fixed goals and linear processes, which can be ineffective in a rapidly changing environment. Instead, the VSM advocates for a dynamic approach where strategy emerges from the organisation’s ongoing processes and interactions.

Strategic conversations which span the organisation are essential. The discussions involved should involve various stakeholders to ensure diverse perspectives and adapt strategies to real-time changes in the environment.

To achieve ‘strategic balance’ with System 4, it’s important to consider:

• Integration with System 3: Maintaining a dialogue between System 4 and System 3 (which focuses on present operations) ensures that immediate operational needs and future strategic objectives are aligned.
• Adaptability: Emphasising flexibility and responsiveness allows the organisation to adjust its strategies as environmental conditions change.
• Feedback Loops: Using feedback from the environment and internal operations to refine and adjust strategies continuously.

The interaction between Systems 3 and 4, moderated by System 5 (which oversees governance issues around policy and identity), ensures that the organisation can balance stability with the need for innovation and adaptation.

Applying System 4 to my system of interest

It’s really interesting to me to see System 4 as a separate system within VSM, as it’s probably the part in which I’m most interested and have spent my career doing. Let’s apply it to my system of interest, which is ‘a system to promote lifelong learning’ in a library setting:

1. Environmental scanning

System 4’s role in environmental scanning involves monitoring the external environment to identify trends, opportunities, and potential risks that could impact lifelong learning initiatives in the library.

In this context, the library should regularly review trends in education, technology, and community needs. For instance, understanding the rise of programmes relating to digital literacies or changes in community demographics can inform the development of relevant services. Community engagement is essential and conducting surveys and focus groups with both library users and non-users can help in identifying gaps and potential new services.

In addition, keeping track of local and national education policies and funding opportunities allows the library to adapt its programs in alignment with broader educational objectives and secure necessary resources.

2. External Communications

Managing non-operational communications with external stakeholders is important for building partnerships and promoting the library’s learning initiatives. To build effective partnerships, the library can collaborate with local schools, universities, businesses, and community organisations to create learning programmes and share resources.

Additionally, PR such as marketing campaigns can help raise awareness about lifelong learning opportunities available at the library. These campaigns can include social media outreach, newsletters, and community events to engage a wider audience. Ongoing communication with grant-making bodies and other funding sources is also vital to secure financial support for learning initiatives.

3. Innovation

System 4 creates an environment for innovation by encouraging the development and implementation of new ideas and methods to enhance lifelong learning.

Introducing new technologies (e.g. e-learning platforms and makerspaces) provides diverse learning experiences for library users. Developing programmes around this should focus on designing and testing innovative learning programs and workshops catering to different age groups and learning preferences — e.g. coding clubs for children, digital skills workshops for adults, and book clubs for retirees. Creating feedback mechanisms allows library users to suggest new ideas and provide feedback on existing programmess, leading to innovation, iteration, and improvement.

4. Managing Change

System 4 is responsible for managing change within the library, ensuring that new initiatives are implemented smoothly and effectively. This involves developing and implementing detailed change management plans to secure the successful introduction of new learning programmes and technologies. These plans should include timelines, responsibilities, as well as information around allocating resources.

Providing training and support for library staff helps them adapt to new programmes and technologies, which means they can assist users effectively. System 4 continuously monitors the implementation of new initiatives, gathers feedback, and makes necessary adjustments to improve effectiveness and user satisfaction.

5. Organisational Modelling

Another role for System 4 in this context is maintaining a comprehensive model of the library’s operations and its alignment with lifelong learning objectives. Developing and maintaining a strategic plan outlines the library’s long-term goals for promoting lifelong learning and the steps needed to achieve them.

Ensuring that resources (financial, human, and physical) are allocated in alignment with the strategic plan and learning objectives is crucial to success. Establishing performance metrics allows the library to evaluate the success of lifelong learning initiatives, such as attendance on programmes, user satisfaction, and learning outcomes.

References

• Hoverstadt, P. (2020). ‘The Viable System Model’. In Reynolds, M. & Holwell, S. (eds.) (2020). Systems Approaches to Making Change: A Practical Guide. London: Springer, pp.89-138.