Analysis and insights

Systems thinking has been mentioned by multiple international organisations as one of the crucial skills of our century. It should be promoted and encouraged both in formal education and in organisational training spaces. As decision-makers and teams develop this skill within their learning and working environments, improved systems stewardship could also emerge as a result.  

Some of the skills included in such mindset are: 

• Ability to see interconnections and interdependencies, spot patterns, dynamic human relationships, learning as developmental and relational, emergent questions (foresight) 
• Ability to cope with uncertainty 
• Understanding of the value in diversity ensuring all stakeholders are involved 
• Connecting to and learning from others and from nature 
• Hopeful thinking and ability to inspire others to contribute to their part of the system 
• Will to collaborate, to listen and to share knowledge 
• Overcoming complexity paralysis to understand lever points and action collaborative efforts to tackle a challenge 
• Curiosity and will to question existing knowledge 
• Acknowledgement of contextual knowledge and diversity 

Systems approaches are a valuable toolkit that allow organisations to think holistically about the ways they approach problems and create solutions. Applying these might need an internal upskilling strategy with selected individuals that can become organisational systems champions.

Design stage: Frame problems holistically using tools like systems mapping, set system-level outcomes, and build in adaptive feedback loops.

• Participatory systems mapping can be a useful way to understand the specific challenges complex systems are facing (especially when it comes to identifying the gaps that lead to systemic failure). This method can highlight the roles, incentives, motivations, and agency that stakeholders have within the system and the limits to compliance with guidelines, rules, or regulations (i.e. financial restraints, skills and knowledge gaps, power imbalances). 
• Participatory systems mapping also initiates conversations that expose tensions and create a common understanding between stakeholders, allowing joint ownership of issues and a will to cooperate to emerge. Moreover, understanding interactions and relationships allows decision-makers to be strategic and inclusive when choosing how to intervene. 

Implementation stage: Fostering cross-sector collaboration, monitoring interdependencies, and using iterative piloting to refine solutions. 

Learning stage: Evaluating impacts broadly, including unintended outcomes, sharing systemic insights, and institutionalising reflection practices. 

• Integrating systems practitioners in organisations and teams can be helpful as their expertise on facilitating discussions, re-evaluating processes, and co-designing solutions can allow the gradual integration of systems thinking. The more organisations integrate this into their working culture, systems thinking will develop as a skill, organically allowing organisations to shift cultural practices and to create collaborative cultures that are fit for complexity. 

Enforcing accountability in complex, multi-actor systems is a significant challenge for governments. Strengthening formal governance is essential – improving policies, codes, and regulations is critical, as many existing frameworks are not fit for purpose. A balance must also be struck between formal regulation and informal governance systems, which often provide valuable insights. 

Consistency and reliability contribute to robustness of simple and complicated systems, which has provenly improved safety. Therefore, a special focus should be on strengthening governance practices that have proven effective over time, including established frameworks, regulations, and procedures that have been found to demonstrably help manage complexities and maintain stability.

Nevertheless, enforcing accountability in complex, multi-actor systems is a significant challenge for governments, particularly in today's global, technology-driven world, where these challenges are also coupled with inequality and resource constraints that limit the capacity to enforce regulations effectively. This is especially true in lower- and middle-income countries, where resource constraints to enforce laws and regulations pose a significant issue as seen in case studies on access to electricity in Kenya and fire safety in Dhaka and Cape Town.

In these contexts, having a dual approach that strengthens effective traditional governance practices and ensures consistency but has also the flexibility to integrate the new is crucial.

Formal governance aspects that need reinforcement include efforts to:

• Strengthen policies, codes, and regulations while integrating adaptive processes so that they can be adapted to emerging technologies and practices.
• Develop new legal frameworks that hold multiple actors accountable in complex systems where responsibilities are distributed.
• Involve key stakeholders in developing regulations to ensure they are fit for purpose and relevant to evolving needs.
• Factor in the cost implications of regulatory measures to ensure they are feasible and sustainable, particularly in low-income countries where resource limitations are a concern.

In all complex systems, but particularly where resources are constrained, there may be a need to reinforce formal regulation with innovative or informal mechanisms that can help to improve standards and to reinforce accountability, such as

• Understand and integrate social norms, behaviours, culture and beliefs into regulatory design frameworks to ensure their effectiveness.
• Enhance the capacity of frontline workers to effectively enforce regulations and manage accountability mechanisms but also provide them principles to deal with emergent issues.
• Leverage international standards and best practices to improve safety and compliance.
• Use public pressure and awareness campaigns to drive accountability and adherence to regulations.
• Engage local communities in governance processes to foster ownership and responsibility for compliance.

Effectively addressing emerging issues and monitoring complex systems is crucial for adaptive governance. Technology and data processing can be helpful in this aim, for example, in the use of comprehensive monitoring tools, such as whole system scanners, to quickly identify and manage new challenges. 

Improving policies, codes, and regulations is critical, as many existing frameworks are either inadequate or not fit for purpose. That means it is crucial that, on one side, designing mechanisms and processes that welcome adaptability and on the other, using monitoring tools to identify areas that need adjusting. There are some examples of the use of comprehensive system monitoring tools, such as a whole-of-system view for regulatory stewardship in New Zealand or the planned adaptive regulation used by the Delta Programme for flood risk management in the Netherlands, featured in the Foresight review on the future of regulatory systems by the Lloyd's Register Foundation. 

Some extra strategies for enhancing monitoring and adaptability include: 

• Anticipatory regulation and agile regulation 
• Regular meetings and relationship building with key stakeholders across the system 
• Implementing advanced tools that provide real-time insights through real-time data where possible (conscious that data management is an issue to address as well specially in low- and middle-income countries) 
• Fostering a culture of continuous learning, documentation, and iteration. 
• Integrating technologies such as AI and digital twins for better system management. 
• Balance the benefits of technology with potential risks, ensuring that human oversight complements Automated systems. 
• Integrate foresight processes to identify weak signals and emergent patterns. 

Diversity and inclusion are crucial to incorporate different viewpoints. This can ensure well-rounded solutions and improve ownership. Following that, we recommend valuing inclusion over participation, addressing power dynamics, considering political influence, enhancing communication, and using technology wisely.

To enhance decision-making within complex systems, it is essential to listen to all voices for well-rounded solutions. Some of the recommendations to do so are: 

• Including diverse perspectives, actively seeking out and incorporating different viewpoints to ensure well-rounded solutions 
• Fostering meaningful inclusion in participatory processes, going beyond simple participation by ensuring all voices are genuinely heard and considered in the process. 
• Inclusive facilitation in participatory processes is crucial as well as creating specific spaces for disadvantaged groups 
• Acknowledging and addressing the power imbalances while co-creating solutions 
• Considering political influence by being mindful of political factors that can impact decisions, and working to keep outcomes objective 
• Enhancing communication by focussing on clear, effective communication to ensure everyone is informed and aligned, recognising and accounting for cultural biases. 

Organisations must cultivate environments where failure is recognised as a valuable learning opportunity, feedback mechanisms are embedded, and individuals are empowered to take ownership of outcomes.

While the prevention of hazards should remain a priority, when failure occurs it should be harnessed to identify areas for improvement and foster iterative progress. Viewing failure as a chance to learn, rather than a setback, encourages continuous growth and adaptability. This requires creating regular opportunities for feedback and reflection, which should become a core part of organisational practices. 

To ensure these practices are effective, psychological safety is essential. Organisations may need to experiment with both confidential feedback channels and open, collaborative conversations to strike the right balance. 

In addition to fostering individual agency, organisations should encourage a sense of collective responsibility for safety and success. Achieving this shift demands cultural change that extends beyond organisations, touching on broader societal attitudes towards failure and safety. 

Insights from the Learning from Failure report highlight the importance of blending clear rules with flexible principles to enable adaptive decision-making as an example of how to deliver this aim. Such an approach supports the creation of resilient systems and fosters a culture where both individuals and teams thrive.