We cannot talk about geodesign without talking about systems. The practice of geodesign is the practice of thinking in systems, designing with systems, and identifying leverage points within systems to change a system’s behavior to a more desirable one.
Systems are all around us. Our bodies are systems. A forest is a system. In fact these are both examples of systems nested within systems. The complexity of systems in our world is mind-boggling. Fortunately, the geodesign framework provides us a roadmap to navigating the multiple systems and behaviors involved in solving geographic problems.
According to Donella Meadows, the author of Thinking in Systems, a system is “an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something”. Accordingly, a system must consist of three things: elements, interconnections, and a function or purpose.
The elements, or parts of a system are the easiest to identify because they are often visible, whereas interconnections and purpose usually are not. The players on a soccer team are examples of elements of a system. The interconnections are the relationships that hold the elements together. In the example of a soccer team, the rules of the game hold the elements (players) together. To put this in the context of geographic systems, water, land uses, wetlands, and culturally significant areas may be the visible or tangible parts of a landscape, but the interconnections between them are often invisible. GIS is a powerful tool for seeing those interconnections. As Tom Fisher, the dean of University of Minnesota’s College of Design saya, “GIS data mapping and visualization enable us to see the connections that our physical landscape and social structures keep separate and distinct”.
The least obvious part of a system, but perhaps the most critical, is its function. Watching how a system behaves over time will give you a clue to its purpose or function. One could conclude, after watching a few soccer games, that the purpose is to score goals. Keep in mind that the elements—the parts of a system we are most likely to notice—are often the least important in defining a system. The interconnections (relationships) and purpose/function are most often the game changing (no pun intended) aspects of system behavior.
Any force applied to the system has consequences. A well-designed system can absorb these forces and still maintain system functionality. A poorly designed system cannot absorb external forces, causing the system to collapse.
In many ways, geodesign is about creating or enhancing resilience—the ability for a system to adjust. The opposite of resilience – vulnerability, may cause a system to collapse. The argument Dr. Meadows’ book makes is that many modern “innovations” conceived without respect to system behavior can make a system vulnerable. As we will see in the case of the New Jersey shore, some parts of a system are more vulnerable, and correspondingly less resilient, than others. As geodesign practitioners and systems thinkers, it is our responsibility to identify vulnerabilities in landscape, and see new opportunities to strengthen the system, or change its behavior through design.
If you haven't already, please be sure to watch the four-part lecture by Donella Meadows on "Sustainable Systems". The video is a bit dated, but the content is more relevant than ever. Inspiration guaranteed.