Applying the Viable Systems Model

Overview
This course will introduce the participant to Viable System Model (VSM) and provide opportunity to apply it in a case study.

Organisations have been viewed traditionally as hierarchical institutions that operate according to a top-down command structure: strategic plans are formulated at the top and implemented by a cascade of instructions through the tiered ranks. It is now widely acknowledged that this modus operandi is too slow and inflexible to cope with the increasing rate of change and complexity surrounding most organizations.

The VSM is a different way of looking at organisations. It is a model that is underpinned by fundamental cybernetic principles of communication and control in complex organisations. It provides a framework for designing flexible, adaptable organizations that balance external and internal perspectives and long and short-term thinking'. (Raúl Espejo and Antonia Gill, The VSM as a Framework for Understanding Organizations)

VSM is a particularly useful learning device for uncovering what is happening in a situation and can lead to powerful insights about where and how to make change, to redesigning  (where appropriate) and  in supporting the management of change.

Learning Goals

• to give an overview of the VSM
• to share understanding of the sub-systems of the model, their functions, how they interact, how that looks in an organisation and what it looks like when they are not functioning well
• to give participants the opportunity to apply the model to a case study to make a basic diagnosis and identify areas for improvements.

About the Facilitator

Pauline Roberts is a Systems Practitioner and independent consultant who has worked with a wide range of organisations, such as the NHS, Local Authorities, Ministry of Defence, pharmaceutical industry, charities and voluntary groups, applying systems thinking (in particular the VSM) to identify areas for improvements.

She is a Visiting Lecturer at City University Business School, London, in undergraduate Applied Systems Thinking and an Associate Lecturer with the Open University on the MSc Systems Thinking in Practice courses. 

Format

The course will incorporate a combination of presentation and interactive discussion/ group work. Participants will work together to apply the model to perform a diagnosis of the case study and discuss findings with the wider group. The facilitator will support the process with ‘guides’ to help participants navigate the diagnosis.

Intended audience

Anyone with an interest in:

• systemic approach to diagnose organisational issues
• facilitate organisational change
• Viable System Model and / or
• Systems Thinking

What Attendees Get

• Basic guides / prompt sheets to support the diagnosis will be used throughout the session
• 10% discount on any Liquid Forest Lab course - valid for 6 months 

Course Length

Online, 6 hours, delivered in 3 x 2h sessions

Price

AUD $485 - one off introductory discount of 30%  (AUD $695.00 - full price)

Additional discounts:

• AUD $460 - early bird 5% until 1 week before first day of course
• Extra 15% discount for Systems at Play Community members
• If you have attended of the previous Liquid Forest Labs courses in the last 6 months, you are eligible for an extra 10% discount
• If your work has been impacted by Covid 19 we have a few complimentary tickets available - please contact learning@liquidforestlabs.com to make arrangements

(all prices are GST inclusive)