Viable System Model for Practitioners
A first step towards an open-source VSM software Applying the Viable System Model is hard. But there is the 7-step methodology of Martin Pfiffner, which was a true revelation to me. Honestly, I think this is the smartest way to apply the VSM (in the corporate world) because it entangles the complexity of the theory [ ] Der Beitrag VSM7 Walkthrough erschien zuerst auf Intelligent Organisations .
Can we learn from past success in times of technological acceleration? If you zoom into the history of the German chemical dye industry between 1856 and 1914, you do not just see a handful of clever chemists and lucky patents. You see a machine. It is a dense web of feedback loops in which universities, [ ] Der Beitrag Reconstructing a forgotten success engine: How Germany dominated the dye…
Parrots, Patterns, and the Politics of Novelty: Thinking with Machines in a World That Thinks Back Disclaimer: The paradox is seductive because it mirrors the very complexity it seeks to describe: On the one hand, those who are deep into complexity science celebrate pattern recognition as a way of sensing the morphing contours of situations [ ] Der Beitrag Pattern Recognition erschien zuerst auf…
A Public Reflection When I received a call from Daniel Grun in July 2022, I honestly thought it was a joke. I was on vacation and picked up the phone out of curiosity. But it turned out to be a serious request: to run VSM trainings for BOSCH at a very decent daily rate. [ ] Der Beitrag 1000 Days at BOSCH erschien zuerst auf Intelligent Organisations .
Designing Collaborative Systems Have you ever experienced that odd sense of déjà vu during cross-team meetings? The same misunderstandings, repeated clarifications, and “we thought you were doing that” moments? It’s not just communication. It’s the system. When two teams, departments, or even organizations try to collaborate, the friction isn’t always personal. More often, it’s structural. [ ] Der…
This is the fifth part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining it to clients). Disclaimer #1: As I am not an ant expert, I tried my best [ ] Der Beitrag Viable System Model – Ant Colony Example erschien zuerst…
This is the fourth part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining it to clients). Part 4: A professional football club through the lens of the Viable System [ ] Der Beitrag Viable System Model Football Club Example…
This is the third part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining the model to clients). Part 3: A small consulting business through the lens of the Viable [ ] Der Beitrag Viable System Model Example Small…
This is the second part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining it to clients). Part 2: An individual person through the lens of the Viable [ ] Der Beitrag Viable System Model Person Example erschien zuerst auf…
I you are looking for simple yet concise examples which explain the Viable System Model this is a good starting point. The found of the series is the basic question: How can activities of different types of organizations be understood through the lens of the VSM? Overview VSM Examples A family A person A small [ ] Der Beitrag Viable System Model Explained The Activity Series erschien zuerst auf…