Cybernetic System Design for a Complex World

Gordon Niven is a Chief Systems Thinking Specialist at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Porton Down, UK. He has over 15 years’ experience applying systems approaches to complex challenges across all areas of defence and security. He teaches systems thinking, is an honorary fellow at Exeter University, and works as a consultant specialising in addressing complex challenges.David Capewell served for 37 years in the UK military, with his last appointment as Chief of Joint Operations, where he was responsible to the government for UK global operations. He is currently the Chairman of a forensic intelligence business and a director of a large digital systems company. He also sits on the boards of a range of prestigious capital investment houses and chaired a panel for the recent strategic defence review. He is a distinguished fellow at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and was the Hudson fellow at the University of Oxford.

‘The vast majority of us are unwitting "complicators". "Simplifiers" who quickly see the wood for the trees are rare and precious. The more so in our very complex world. This hugely useful book provides a methodology to help us navigate the organisational and structural challenges of our times. I cannot commend it enough.’Field Marshal The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, GCB CBE DSO DL, Former UK Chief of the Defence Staff ‘At a time of enormous complexity, the Cybernetic System Design for a Complex World combines systems, cybernetics, and critical thinking tools to achieve agency and purpose when we need it most. This is an essential guide for leaders grappling with organisational challenges. It provides a unique perspective and a methodology to succeed in today’s world.’Sir Jeremy Fleming, KCMG CB, Former Director of GCHQ

• Prologue, Part 1. Ideas To Shape How You View the World, 1. The Variety Calculus, 2. Thinking in Systems, 3. Variety and Complexity, 4. How Variety Can Help You Shape Effective Action, 5. Variety, Information, and Time, Part 2. Managing Variety, 6. Managing Organisational Variety, 7. Managing Environmental Variety, 8. How to Cope with Complexity, Part 3. From Theory to Practice, 9. The Veritas Analysis Framework, 10. Using Veritas to Support Planning and Design, 11. Organisations as Devices for Managing Variety, 12. An Alternative Approach to Organisation Design, 13. A Generic Functional Management Model, 14. The Rise of the Machines, Epilogue