The Living Design Approach

A new way of thinking about the world has emerged over the past 30 years. It is profoundly impacting our collective approach to innovation, design, creativity, and problem-solving. It is reframing the way we see the world. Systems Thinking and, more recently, Living Systems Thinking are on their way to balancing the powerful but limited perspective of Reductive Mechanistic Thinking that has guided human creativity and activity for almost 400 years. We think of this balanced worldview, in which four forms of thought and perspective which include Systems,  Reductive, Integrative, and Pattern thinking intersect as the “Living Design Approach.” Pattern thinking provides the perspective, vehicle, and method that underlies, integrates, and structures the approach by combining (and utilizing) the first three forms of thinking.

Systems thinking offers an unparalleled potential for transformation, allowing humanity to recognize the intricate tapestry of cause and effect in our interconnected world

The Shift in Creative Perspective

A shift in perspective from reductive, mechanistic thinking to inclusive, living thinking results in a new approach to problem-solving. Unlike a reductively driven approach that strips the world and our problems of complexity, living design accepts and works with complexity as an essential ingredient to effective problem-solving. However, it’s not about throwing out reductive thinking. Living design actively weaves reductive thinking with systems thinking in a way that effectively elevates our creative potential.