Talk: Applying Cynefin and Complexity Theory: a practical journey

Talk description

Title:	Applying Cynefin and Complexity Theory: a practical journey
Short synopsis:	About seven years ago I read a blog that introduced me to Dave Snowden’s Cynefin Sensemaking Framework and his ideas around identifying and then working with complex systems. This was a moment that fundamentally altered the way in which I thought about how to build systems, particularly for organisations operating in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) context. This is a description my subsequent journey that provides a refresher on the key theories and then shares practical experiences of trying to apply these theories from both my own work and the wider world Max size: 500 chars
Long synopsis (optional):	This session was prompted by a conversation in a Cynefin meetup in which I observed that whilst there were a large number of talks/videos about the theory of Cynefin and complex adaptive systems, there seemed to be far fewer case studies on their practical application. So this is a small scale and personal attempt to plug that apparent gap, drawing primarily on my experience of trying to apply these ideas in the projects that I have worked on over the last few years in complex organisations delivering complex services, supplemented by a few examples from the wider world. The session will revisit the basic ideas but will attempt to go ‘one step beyond’ by sharing some real world experiences – some successful and others not so. It does not assume any prior knowledge but it will move quickly on beyond a basic introduction. It will explain the Cynefin framework with examples of how I have used it, and then look in more detail at the characteristics of complex adaptive systems. But it will primarily focus on the ideas and techniques that various thinkers in the field have proposed for working with complex systems including • Use of micronarratives • Understanding where you are and seeing what you can easily change • Picking up weak signals • Multiple safe to fail experiments • The dangers of entrained thinking • The role of time • Working with emergent solutions • Adaptive Spaces • Walking Skeletons In all these cases, these ideas/techniques will be illustrated with real world examples, looking at the challenges of applying these ideas in organisations which seek certainty and which are risk averse. This session will be relevant to anybody working in an organisation where departmental politics, conflicting views, communication failures, and cultural issues are significant challenges. But please note, this is not a presentation from an ‘expert’, nor is it, in anyway, endorsed by Dave Snowden or Cognitive Edge. It draws heavily on his thinking (I have attended the 4 day Cynefin/Complexity course) which provides a rich seam of ideas but also incorporates the ideas of others whose work I also find valuable (Mary Uhl-Bien, Sonja Blignault, Jeff Patton, Roman Pischler, Tom Gilb, Carol Dweck, etc) It does not offer any ‘magic solutions’ but is very much a personal view based on honest, practical experience backed by some theory, with hopefully a few ideas that you can take away to work with in your organisation. Max size: 5000 chars
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