AKL: Organisations as Living Systems: Designing Change

When designing new products, services and experiences, we often get caught in the process of bringing our ideas to life. But what if they require new contexts and realities to take hold and thrive? How do we design for these and how do we design the act of change, in our organisations and societies?  

Join us this month for a live zoom with international speaker and whole systems change specialist John Atkinson to learn about his ‘living systems’ methodology - for working with the dynamics of life rather than against them. Treating human organisations as living systems, he explores characteristics and perspectives that radically challenge how we think about change today.  

During this interactive session you are invited to explore his ideas further in workshop groups to understand how you can start the journey of whole systems change in your organisation.  

A special thanks to Grid Auckland for supporting us for this event. 

About John Atkinson,  Independent Advisor on Systems Leadership

John Atkinson is a designer, architect and catalyst for whole system change. Using ‘living systems’ methodologies, he has designed and instigated large scale change activities for global organisations (including the UN and its agencies, as well as Alibaba, Sanofi Pasteur and Zurich Insurance). He has also been the architect of major change for the UK government and many national businesses from the manufacturing, financial and retail sectors. 

John’s work is always highly contextual; he believes in meeting people where they really are, rather than trying to impose pre-determined methodology on every situation. He curates the online change resource HeartoftheArt.org, is the editor of the book ‘The Art of Change Making’ and is a regular speaker at global and national events. He is currently designing approaches for Nature-based solutions to climate change for the UN. Find out more about John here. 

Timings

7:00am - Networking over coffee and light breakfast

7.20am - Introduction and live zoom chat (livestream starts)

8.00am - Reflection activity, group debate and speakers final thoughts

9.00am - Event finish

9.30am - Doors close