On 18th November 2006 (file stamping does have a use), I was doing some research on something big and boring and stumbled across a paper from the late Donella Meadows at the Sustainability Institute, called Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in Systems.

Consider that a system is anything with inputs, processes and outputs; that is to say it’s a certain way of thinking about almost anything. Systems are built out of sub-systems, which in turn are made out of sub-sub-systems, and so on. The study of the behaviour of these systems and their interactions is often called Systems Dynamics.

Leverage Points imagines an abstract system, and outlines 12 places in which to influence that system, in order of effectivness.

It’s short and simple, but suddenly I got it.

Systems engineering wasn’t about messing around with SysML, double helix design processes, or other bullshit that people make up to help them pretend they understand huge systems of potentially infinite complexity. It was about setting up an approach to life in which one could look at a thing, try and understand it and possibly make it better.

The Leverage Points essay resonated with me, because it provided a reusable pattern for me to tackle problems and focus efforts.

Of course, it won’t suit everyone - I’m wired up to think like an engineer, which is both a curse and a blessing - but if you’re stuck on a problem and have freedom to think, I recommend it.

However, they shall return! ATMs coming from Multimap’s new API, and Post Offices from a FOI request (I hope). Until then, sorry.

The rest of the line up looks great, so get yourself along if you’re in the area. Upstairs in the Jericho Tavern from 7pm.

I’ll stick the talk up here when it’s done.