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SessionTwo010

C10. Steering the System: Effective Interventions
DonGray, JerryWeinberg

- How do you effectively deal with systems that can do things you don't want them to?
- How do our interventions create the problems we're trying to avoid?
- Can we intervene in a system to keep it operating in an optimum range?
- What design considerations are involved in creating a system that doesn't require intervention?

Learning Objectives

- Become more calm in the face of disasters at the same time you become more effective.
- Perhaps have a LifeChangingExperience

These notes are from the flip charts written towards the end of the session and reflect what I think I heard. If you have anything you'd like to contribute, do please add! 2002.11.10 DonGray

This session identified several different systems problems. The following abnormal systems were further explored.

The Identified Patient (or single person) Problem
This system is characterized by everyone else in the system identifying a "problem" person.
Thing to remember in this system are:
- Self, Other, Context.
- We're better at creating new systems, than graceful ending systems.
- In reality, the system is dysfunctional, and it's not really the identified person creating the problems.
- If you're the identified person, leave if possible.

The Clueless Person Problem
This system is identified by hearing the phrases "I didn't see it coming." or "I didn't even know there was a problem."

- Get out of cluelessness by

1. A foreign event
   
2. Awareness of something wrong (pain).
   
3. A willingness to change. (Check your identity!)
   
4. Acceptance of change you engage (It's ok to be here).
   

The Best and the Brightest Problem
This system is identified by personnel problems, where people not familiar with the problem domain select "the best qualified" people to be on the team / hired.

- This can be an HR candidate problem. How are the wrong people getting through?
- Check also into who's being rejected.
- Do the hiring / assigning yourself.
- There's more acceptance of a hire if the receiving group has input and a choice in the process.

The Change a Single Thing Problem
This system is identified when you hear phrases such as:

"All we need to do is ..."
"It's just one thing."
"They are the problem."

This thinking generally results in a systems response that wasn't anticipated when the change was made.

- There is no way to change a single thing in a system.
- Swapping places (development <-> test) might help
- How to be represented (put it in the group's hands).

Process Improvement
These systems are where we try to make things better, but something happens and the results boomerang and we get the opposite of what we were working for. This is identified by pushing on the system and the system pushes back.

Quality
- A quality loop is added.
- The reward loop is still based on effort, not quality.
- People don't behave as hoped for.

Two Interventions at One Time.
- Know your system.
- Check your assumptions if a problem develops.
- Separate interventions by time (introduce them sequentially) or people (have one time work with one intervention while another team works with the other.)

In general changing the reward loop changes the process behavior.

Please feel free to add addtional titles on systems thinking. - 2002.11.09 DonGray

AN INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL SYSTEMS THINKING: Silver Anniversary Edition by Gerald M. Weinberg, Dorset House, ISBN: 0-932633-49-8

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF SYSTEMS DESIGN by GERALD M. WEINBERG and DANIELA WEINBERG, Dorset House, ISBN: 0-932633-07-2

QUALITY SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT Vol. 1: Systems Thinking by GERALD M. WEINBERG, Dorset House, ISBN: 0-932633-22-6

The Logic of Failure by Dietrich Doener, Perseus Books, ISBN: 0-201-47948-6

The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge ISBN 0385260954

A couple of other titles I've read, both good:

The Art of Systems Thinking: Essential Skills for Creativity and Problem Solving, by Joseph O'Connor & Ian Mc_Dermott, ISBN 0722534426.

Seeing Systems: Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life, by Barry Oshry, ISBN 1881052737.

-- StephenNorrie 2002.11.10

• If a change is being ridiculed, it is being watched too. If it works, you will be followed, not acknowledged but imitated. Just do it quietly. Publicity won't help because you will be in chaos initially. Once you succeed, don't proselytize.
• The last 10% are the hardest to change. It may be smarter not to change them.
• Management support - initially you want benign neglect. Try to do the first round cheap or free, show what is saved, then reinvest 1/2 of the savings in the next round.
• Try to make sure that all the costs are visible, regardless of where they are charged.
• The most important people to talk to are the ones you are told not to talk to. Sometimes you can learn what you need by watching them.
• Whatever is hidden is usually the balancing force.
• If people cannot articulate what they do, you need to see what is done to get more detail.
• Resistance to change is often an identity issue.
• You can't break up a great team and expect all the teams you put the people on to magically become great.
• Remember that only success stories are publicized and only recognized changes are publicized.

SherryHeinze 2002.11.11