The Viable System Model

I recently came across this video, that does a really good job of explaining the Viable System Model:

This is the parallel to systems-thinking by Stafford Beer, and is sometimes known as a form of management cybernetics.

My issue with systems thinking is that causal loop diagrams tend to be too granular. And after mapping out the causal loops, you end up with the question “and then what…?”

So this other video on the VSM that talks about the application of VSM in diagnosing what’s wrong with an organisation (Pfiffner calls them ‘pathologies’) is super interesting from a system and OD pov:

This is still a very evolving thread, and I am still thinking about this. Will update if there is anything else.