Whole Systems Design

Book excerpt: Whole Systems Design: Inquiries in the Knowing Field is an open invitation and an inspiration for Innovators, System Designers, Leaders, Change Agents, and Constellators—anyone who wishes to live and work from a whole systems perspective. It is for people new to working with complex systems as well as for those who will enjoy engaging with its practitioners, its concepts, and its emerging history. It is a book of stories, conversations, and interviews, about finding ways to serve Life, to serve humanity, to serve the Whole, through a process which has been emerging through the author—Constellating for the Collective—a process that itself has emerged from Systemic Constellation Work and the Knowing Field. Whole Systems Design opens with the author’s journey, letting readers behind the curtain of facilitation. She describes the pragmatic steps and tools she has developed with deep dedication over many years. She includes a succinct description of the impact of this work on participants and for the Collective. Lively conversations with colleagues trace the collaboration and co-creation vital in this evolving field. Nine interviews with long-time facilitators and trainers of Constellation Work—who share their insights about Collective Constellation Work—provide a rich resource.