How to Intervene in Complex Systems?

An invited talk by Tobias Luthe hosted by Innovation North in February 2025

View the recording on Youtube.

Here’s a AI-generated summary of Tobias Luthe’s speech transcript from the ETH Zürich Innovation North Speaker Series:

Title: How to (Non)Intervene in Complex Systems

Speaker: Tobias Luthe (ETH Zürich, MonViso Institute, Grown, Systemic Design Lab, Oslo School of Architecture and Design, University of Bern)

Key Themes:

1. Navigating Complexity through Systemic Design

   • Emphasizes moving beyond traditional system engineering to embrace emergence, adaptation, and relational thinking.
   • Advocates for transdisciplinary approaches to designing resilient and regenerative systems.

2. Real-World Practice and Living Systems Laboratories

   • MonViso Institute: A living systems lab in the Italian Alps, testing regenerative design, circular economies, and social-ecological resilience.
   • Grown: A venture experimenting with sustainable product design, including the development of hemp fiber composite skis that reduce carbon footprints.

3. Intervening in Complex Systems

   • The Art of Non-Intervention: Sometimes stepping back and allowing systems to self-organize is a necessary approach (Post-Activism).
   • Scaling Deep and Scaling Out: Understanding when to focus on place-specific interventions vs. when to extend knowledge and models elsewhere.

4. Frameworks for Systemic Innovation

   • The “Wobbly” Model: Represents the non-linear, dynamic nature of complex systems. Traditional linear approaches fail; instead, systemic interventions should consider relationships and networks holistically.
   • Resilience Cycle: Systems move through conservation, release (crisis), reorganization, and growth. The best time for intervention is often during reorganization phases when transformation is possible.
   • Systemic Design Wheel of Inquiry: A framework to decide if, when, where, and how to intervene in a system, incorporating diverse inquiry methods from technical data analysis to artistic and embodied practices.
   • Compass Matrix: A decision-making tool for organizations to assess their progress from sustainability to regenerative impact, integrating ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) principles.

5. Relational and Cultural Aspects of Change

   • Building Trust in Social Systems: Luthe shares a story of resolving tension with a neighbor in MonViso through collaboration and mutual support (cutting trees together). This illustrates how social cohesion and trust-building are essential elements of systemic change.
   • Interdependence of Urban and Rural Systems: Cities and rural areas are deeply interconnected. Innovations in land use, tourism, and economy must consider their systemic dependencies.

6. Experiential and Embodied Learning Approaches

   • Systemic Cycles: A method using cycling (or other forms of movement) to explore and understand bioregional landscapes through systems thinking.
   • Interactive Mapping and Visual Synthesis: Tools like synthesis maps help make complexity tangible and accessible for diverse stakeholders.

Conclusion:

Luthe advocates for integrating scientific knowledge with practice, relational thinking, and systemic design methodologies to foster regenerative and resilient systems. Innovation in complex systems requires combining technical, social, and cultural dimensions, often emphasizing trust-building and emergent adaptation over direct intervention.

His talk serves as both a practical guide and philosophical reflection on how to navigate complexity, emphasizing that resilience, adaptability, and interconnectedness are key to sustainable transformation.