Social Systems

My other class this semester at OCAD U's Masters of Design: Strategic Foresight and Innovation is on social systems. It follows a course on systems thinking this spring that was very interesting. While the introductory course was a broad introduction of systems, be they technological or biological, this term is all about systems of people. It has proven very difficult to define social systems. We heard varied definitions. Some were easy to understand and others were examples of the English language that are incomprehensible to regular English speakers.

The one that makes sense to me is this:

"A social system is defined as a set of interrelated units that are engaged in joint problem solving to accomplish a common goal" Rogers, Everett M. (1983). Diffusion of Innovations. Keeping this definition in mind, it's not too hard to recognize schools, companies, social networks like Facebook or Flickr, and much much more, as social systems.

For the class assignments, we are asked to identify a social system, study it and then propose some redesign of the system or part thereof. Social system redesign is a lot like making cultural change, at least from our readings. I have a strong desire to pick my former work environment and totally redesign it (in my mind, unfortunately) but there is nowhere near enough time to tackle that task.

I'm really drawn to looking that the system that distributes audiovisual content (film, TV etc) but that's more of a socio-technical system that a pure social system. But closer examination of some of the factors affecting distribution in Canada (cultural sovereignty, Canadian content rules, the reputation and perceived quality of Canadian content) might lead me closer to the "social" aspect of the system. Plus, I've been chomping at the bit to redesign this system. Of only someone would give the the chance.