System innovation is not just about improving the individual parts of a system – it is about reshaping the whole. To create something genuine new, it is not enough to optimize each individual; We must also understand how the parts work together.
Just as we cannot improve a car by just making the engine better without also thinking about how all components interact, we must look at the system as a whole if we want to create a new transport system. In this process, one of the most powerful methods is to mapping the relationships between the parts instead of just analyzing the parts itself.
Relationships as the foundation of change
A system is not just the sum of its parts; It is above all the relationships and dynamics that bind the parts that create the behavior of the system. In social change, it is not about focusing solely on individual organizations or actors, but rather understanding how these actors relate to each other – what relationships exist, how information flows, where power and resources are concentrated and what dependencies exist.
When we try to change a system without understanding the relationships, we risk missing the bigger picture. It is the same to try to solve traffic problems by making every car faster, without thinking about roads, traffic rules and how we actually move in society. In order to create real change, we must identify and analyze the underlying structures that control the system.
Visualize the relationships – tools for system innovation
There are many tools for mapping relationships within a system. Some of the most used are:
- System maps: These show how different actors and resources are interconnected. For example, a map of a local food system can show how producers, distributors, shops and consumers are related.
- Causal Loop Diagrams (Causal Flow Diagrams): These are used to show dynamic relationships and feedback loops. They help us to see where there are self -reinforcing effects or areas where change can create the greatest impact.
- Stakeholder Mapping: Here we identify the actors that affect or are affected by the system and map the relationships between them.
By visualizing the relationships, it becomes easier to maintain the holistic perspective and avoid losing focus on the parts. It helps us to understand where in the system we can put in measures that have major effects and what relationships need to be strengthened or transformed to enable change.
Relations reveal behaviors and structures
When we analyze the relationships between the parts of a system, we can begin to discover the underlying behaviors that shape the system’s structures. It is often in these relationships that the real causes of a system’s problem – or opportunities – lie. Structures that appear to be static and unchanging are often the result of deeply rooted relationships and behavioral patterns.
For example, in a city where segregation is a problem, relations between residential areas, schools and the labor market can provide clues as to why some groups fall outside. It is not the individual residential areas, schools or companies that create the problems, but the ways in which they interact – or do not work together.
Example of mapping that created change
Mapping relationships has been used in many contexts to create change. An example is the transformation of the food supply in the city of Medellín, Colombia. By mapping how food was produced, distributed and consumed, weak points and lack of relationships between local farmers, distributors and the city’s residents were identified. By strengthening these relationships – for example, by creating direct links between farmers and city dwellers – the city was able to create a more resilient and sustainable food system.
Another example is successful projects in education, where the relationships were mapped between schools, local communities and employers. This mapping has helped to create collaborative projects that not only improve education but also reduced youth unemployment.
An established tool for system innovation
Mapping the relationships in a system is an established tool in system innovation, precisely because it helps us to see what is below the surface. The relationships are the invisible threads that hold the system together and that also control how it can change. By analyzing these threads, we can create changes that not only improve the parts of the system, but that lift the entire system to a new level.
Systeminnovation is about creating something new – not just to optimize what already exists. And the best way there often starts by mapping and understanding the relationships that make the system what it is today. Only by understanding the whole can we create the sustainable system of the future.
