Dynamical Systems

Mar 11

Simple Rules: Complex Community Systems

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Principles, Property Design No Comments »

Emergent patters/properties of complex adaptive systems are achieved through simple operating ‘rules’.

Indeed, simple ‘rules’ are a necessity of complex dynamical interactions. A common misunderstanding is that the complex interactions are a result of complex ‘rules’.

Emergent properties may be thought of as ’simplicities’ in the sense that they are the identifiable ‘things’ … whether properties (structural behaviour), patterns (of birds in flight, schoals of birds), or ‘problems’ … which result from the complex interactions of the dynamical system.

While the interactions of the system are complex, the rules which lead to the system’s behaviour are ’simple’. This is one of many counterintuitive aspects of complex adaptive systems.

‘Life’ provides the best and most obvious example.

Applying the lessons learned from the ‘rules of Life’, to the design of Communities (and resulting social lifestyles) is a high form of Biomimicry. The notion of having a few simple rules by which to design and construct healthy vibrant communities of immense diversity and resilience is confirmed by Life.

Mar 03

Communities: Fractal Solutions

Biomimicry, Business/Commerce/Industry, Dynamical Systems, Principles, Property Design, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Our ’problems’, as emergent properties of complex adaptive (fractal) systems are (in certain cases) fractal ‘patterns’ on various scales of our eco/socio-economic system.

So, too, solutions can be fractal: an effective re-build of a system structure at one level can/will be result in solutions as emergent properties on various scales.

Communities … rebuilding the structure form of existing subdivisions, by design, to be real, integral communities … will lead to multi-scalar emergent solutions.

Indeed, an immediate ‘emergent solution’ of Urban Transformation as a new industry (industrial system) is the economic stimulus effect in terms of the innovative commercial/industrial investments and operations.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • design • Economics • transformation

Mar 01

Solutions as Fractals …

Business/Commerce/Industry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Principles, Sustainability, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Complex Adaptive Systems are also known as Fractal Systems, in regards to their ’scale-independent’ or ‘fractal’ structure.

The fractal characteristic (or scale-independence) of Complex Adaptive Systems is that features of the whole are present in each of the component parts … this is also known as ’self-similarity’ … patterns that repeat at different scales.

Our ‘problems’ are (in certain cases) fractal ‘patterns’ on various scales of our eco/socio-economic system. So, too, solutions can be fractal: an effective re-build of a system structure at one level can/will be a solution on various scales.

Urban Transformation is the practical application of this principle: the improper design of the existing residential subdivisions in a primary component of many integrated multi-scalar (fractal) ‘problems’ … we can transform the existing residential subdivisions into real Communities, by design, with solutions as emergent properties on various scales.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • cities • design • Optimization • resilience • transformation

Feb 25

Systemic Change ………………………….. Part 5 Transformation of Mindset: Paradigm of Possibilities

Business/Commerce/Industry, Dynamical Systems, Principles, Sustainability, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Developing a new understanding is a new mindset … a non-reversible neural systemic change.

Specifically, understanding Urban Transformation … the need for structural re-building of our physical communities, and the practical capabilities to do so … is a systemic change to a new mindset of possibilities.

It is by learning a sufficient amount and variety of component ‘pieces’ of information, and their interconnections …. attaining the appropriate ‘critical mass(es)’ of learning, in a critically appropriate (short) period of time … that the systemic change of mindset or ‘understanding’ is achieved.

Likewise, in turn, when a sufficient number and variety of people … the ‘critical mass(es)’ of people … develop a new understanding – and, in a critically short period of time, a new widespread social paradigm can be achieved.

Tagged with: business • cities • design • resilience • transformation

Feb 22

Systemic Change ……………………………… Part 4 Roads as ‘Boundary Conditions’

Business/Commerce/Industry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Principles, Property Design, Sustainability, Urban Transformation No Comments »

The structure of our residential subdivisions presents enormous potential for beneficial change.

To truly appreciate the potential for achieving systemic change … and, the potential for vast improvements, it is necessary to understand the underlying factors of our existing problematic residential ‘form’. In particular, the roads: the arterial avenues/roads, and, the ‘inner’ residential roads.

I’m focussing on roads as a primary ‘component’ because it represents a defining feature of the landscape – delineating the resultant land area that is ‘left over’ for all other uses; roads are a very high cost feature (initial construction, maintenance and repair); and, as a consequence of ‘form’, virtually all aspects of life both involve and impact roads.

In terms of systems, roads serve as a ‘boundary conditions’.

Yet, the roads are also serve as linear ‘centres’ of commerce and industry.

These are two conflicting functions, and as I believe, the source of much of our social, transportation, traffic congestion ‘problems’.

Tagged with: business • cities • design • Economics • Optimization • resilience • transformation

Feb 19

Systemic Change …………………………… Part 3 Roads: Factor of Community Form and Function

Business/Commerce/Industry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Property Design, Urban Transformation No Comments »

So many of our eco/socio-economic ‘problems’ originate with the poor design of residential subdivisions: the potential of transforming this ’structure’ to real Communities presents the means of achieving systemic change to sustainable societies.

This post continues the discussion based on Donella Meadows’ classic publication … ‘Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System’. Below are a few key quotes.

“The only way to fix a system that is laid out wrong is to rebuild it, if you can.”

“Physical structure is crucial in a system, but rarely a leverage point, because changing it is rarely simple. The leverage point is in proper design in the first place. After the structure is built, the leverage is in understanding it’s limitations and bottlenecks and refraining from fluctuations or expansions that strain it’s capacity.”

While these statements are applicable to all systems, in this case the focus is on the structural form of our residential ‘community’ subdivisions and the problems that result as emergent properties of the complex system of interactions.

In order for us to appreciate the need for new, properly designed ’structures’, and understand how to achieve the systemic changes, we need a deep understanding of both the lack of proper design of the original system structure (specifically, residential subdivisions) and lack of understanding of it’s limitations which has lead to the currently strained capacities … and, the ‘emergent problems’.

Tagged with: cities • design • Optimization • resilience • transformation

Feb 17

Systemic Change …………………………….. Part 2 Community: Structure as a Leverage Point

Dynamical Systems, Property Design, Urban Transformation No Comments »

We can re-build the physical form of our residential subdivisions, by design … transforming into systemic Communities.

Doing so, we will achieve beneficial systemic non-reversible (transitional) changes on various ’scales’, simultaneously: this is a natural result of ’systems approach’ … Solutions are the ‘emergent properties’ or patterns

In the same way that the ‘problems’ or problematic situations are ‘emergent properties’ of the complex system – so too, solutions are ‘emergent properties’ of the transformed system … the resultant ‘whole pattern(s)’ of the new system’s dynamical interaction.

In this sense, the ecological/socio-economic solutions are ‘fractal’ (scale independent): that is, features of the ‘whole’ (solutions; benefits) are represented in each of the various scale ‘components’ (’component wholes’).

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As I discussed in the previous article (part 1), the physical structure/form of a system (in this case, the form of our Communities) is a critical factor in it’s functioning … whether effective or problematic (and, problematic is the existing reality). Moreover, the function of our local communities is a critical factor in the functioning of the various scales of society as a ‘whole’.

Tagged with: cities • design • transformation

Feb 16

Systemic Change ………………………….. Part 1 Community: Structure as a Leverage Point

Dynamical Systems, Principles, Sustainability, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Transforming our subdivisions into viable integrated Communities, by design, represents a vital ‘Leverage Point’ for greater systemic non-reversible change to a sustainable society.

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The physical structure or form of a system is a critical factor in it’s functioning … whether the functioning is effective/efficient, or problematic.

And, problematic is what we currently have … ecological, social and economic.

Tagged with: cities • design • resilience • transformation

Feb 15

Communities … and Systemic Change

Dynamical Systems, Principles, Sustainability, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Communities are a systemic ‘whole’ on a small (local) scale, while also larger-scale ‘component wholes’ … of our greater socio-economic system(s).

It is this ‘duality’ – in a fractal sense – that presents an opportunity of enormous potential.

Communities represent a key ‘leverage point’ … as a means of establishing large-scale beneficial systemic change.

In fact, this is a uniquely vital ‘Dual Leverage Point’: as an ‘end’ goal of resolving many practical ‘issues’ for local residents (a means of improving their lifestyles); and, on a greater social scale, the improvements of local behavioural interactions serves as a means of establishing large-scale transitional systemic socio-economic changes.

Our problematic situations are systemic, and many eco/socio-economic ‘issues’ are a result of the form of our existing residential subdivisions.

Tagged with: cities • design • resilience • transformation

Feb 10

Understanding Systemic Change

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Principles, Sustainability No Comments »

Systemic non-reversible solutions are needed to ‘resolve’ our problematic situations.

A real resolution of our problematic situation(s) implies ‘change’ … a transitional change … and, permanent change: In systems science, this is referred to as a ‘non-reversible’ systemic change.

After all, it’d do no good to change ‘for the better’, only for the system to revert back to the same (or similar) problematic situation.

This is a true transformation – transforming the ‘whole’ system to achieve a ‘non-reversible’ resolution to the problematic situation(s).

Understanding systems and requires great effort to learn: there are various types of systems, each with many ‘aspects’ or component parts, and interconnections; there is the issue of ’scale’ and ’scope’ (scale of breadth and depth).

Tagged with: Biomimicry • resilience • transformation

Feb 08

Systems: A Primer

Dynamical Systems, Principles No Comments »

‘System’ … this is a very broad term, and includes many categories, types, etc. There are various definitions of systems.

In fact, even amongst the experts, there is no single classification for all types of systems, or for all purposes of analyses.

My intent with this article is not to provide a ’specific’ definition or even to describe ‘what’ systems … rather, my goal here is to help you, dear reader, to learn and develop an understanding of systems (prompting further study), and ultimately to ‘think’ in terms of systems with a ’systems mindset’.

Tagged with: ecosystems

Feb 03

Identity and ‘Place’: Vital Aspects of Community

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Principles, Property Design, Sustainability, Urban Transformation No Comments »

From a distance, a community would have a ‘dimensional’ look to it – similar to a city with it’s downtown core.

So, there’d be a sense of Place, both from afar and within. The community core would be visually evident and obvious, so that with a glance from a distance even a visitor could easily/immediately locate the centre.

A self-contained community, then, can be thought of as a fractal structure – in which, the features of the whole are represented in each of the various scaled components. Community; district; city; region … are (ought to be) representative ‘wholes’ of increasing scale. This will be a topic of further discussion in a following article.

This ’self-similarity’ or, ’scale-independence’ is a fundamental aspect of dynamical, complex adaptive systems … a (successful) feature of nature; a replicable model … so, why then aren’t we adopting/adapting natures successes?! This is an aspect of Biomimicry that deserves serious attention.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • cities • design • resilience • transformation

Feb 01

Residential Subdivisions … are Not Communities.

Business/Commerce/Industry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Principles, Property Design, Uncategorized No Comments »

Complex Systems involve a multiplicity of components and connections.

A vibrant Community, being a complex system, is comprised of a multiplicity (amount and variety) of components and connections.

In the previous blog articles, ‘Systems Approach to Solutions’ (Parts 1 & 2), I briefly described the nature of systems, especially complex systems, and the ’systems approach’ to designing meaningful solutions.

Our ecological and socio-economic ‘issues’ are truly complex, involving many interconnected component aspects.

In the subdivisions of our urban/suburban societies, our lifestyle behaviours represent a primary component of our problematic situation(s): our auto-dependent … highly mobile, yet also highly sedentary lifestyles and excessive processed food result in many health ‘issues’; energy-intensity (electricity; petro; etc.) causes ecological/economic impacts; and on …

Our lifestyles, though, are ‘pre-determined’ in the sense that we’re constrained by the physical form of the built-environment in which we live … so many (most) of us live in subdivisions (inner suburban sprawl of a previous generation; new suburbs); and, the suburbs are so similar.

So, residential subdivisions as a physical ‘form’ are a major component of our problematic situations, imposing major negative ecological, social and economic impacts.

Tagged with: cities • design • Optimization • resilience • social issues • transformation

Jan 28

Communities … as Complex Systems

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A community system, specifically a complex adaptive system is comprised of a multitude of components and (inter)connections.

So a real community – as a complex adaptive system – requires the necessary critical mass of components and connections.

Actually, we could think in terms of the main ‘component’ sub-systems: physical infrastructural system; social system; and, the greater ecological/environmental system.

Scale and scope … of the subsystems and their components and connections. In fact, scale and scope of each of the ’scales’ and ’scopes’.

Tagged with: business • cities • design • Optimization • resilience • transformation

Jan 26

A ‘Systems Approach’ to Solutions (Part 2)

Dynamical Systems, Principles, Sustainability No Comments »

Consider, from a ’systems mindset’, that our problematic situations are systemic: a consequent result of the various components and their interactions that comprise the ‘whole’ system.

Without a sufficient understanding (in breadth and depth) of the system as a whole, we cannot alter or change any ‘one’ component and expect a drastic beneficial result … even a drastic change to a single component will not necessarily fundamentally alter the whole … it may, but not necessarily; even changes to two or more components, individually or independently, is likely insufficient to achieve fundamental system change.

Tagged with: design • resilience • transformation

Jan 21

Community … by Design

Business/Commerce/Industry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Property Design, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Understanding the existing ‘lack’ of design is necessary to design true Communities.

To the extent that physical form of modern subdivisions are (or, can be said to be) ‘designed’, it is really only the linear aspect of the roads in the planar realm – the linear geometric shapes of the flat ground level roads, as seen from above.

Foolishness! A geometrical layout as observed from where no-one sees! A ‘visual’ design that has no beneficial effect … in fact, these silly layouts may well have detrimental impacts on daily living.

Furthermore, subdivisions (even the ‘mature’ subdivisions of a previous generation) lack the balance and diversity of commerce, industry and arts/culture/etc. to be true communities.

Tagged with: cities • design • Economics • Optimization • resilience • transformation

Oct 05

Social ‘Behavioural’ Offsetting. (Offsets of a Different Kind)

Carbon Offsetting/Trading, Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics No Comments »

A recent article (Sept. ..) in ‘The Ecologist‘ introduces the concept of ‘Personal Carbon Trading’ …

In the my blog post ‘Offsets of a different kind’, I introduced the ideas of ’social’ or ‘behavioural’ offsetting.

My thoughts involve a broader notion of ‘Impact’ … including how a person’s lifestyle affects traffic congestion; waste management; health care costs; etc.

This builds on ‘Systems Thinking‘, in general, and Ecological Economics in particular. [More links below.]

If we can acknowledge the many and extended, interdependent benefits of people living ‘lightly’ … living ‘low impact’ lifestyles, then we are in a position to understand how important it is that those people continue to live such lives, as well as encouraging others to do so.

It’s in everyone’s best interests.

With so many subsidies underpinning our society, it seems appropriate that we explore the possibilities of directly subsidizing high-value/’low-impact’ lifestyles.

Tagged with: Economics • offsets

Sep 30

Falling Leaves: Nature’s Resource Extraction and Distribution

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Management, Optimization, Sustainability No Comments »

With the falling leaves of Autumn, we lament the ‘hassle’ of getting rid of the yard ‘waste’.

But these falling leaves contain the nutrients and fibrous ‘bio-mass’ to condition the soil.

Think about it … the natural cycle of the falling leaves of the deciduous trees (of the temperate regions), is the natural method of resource extraction and distribution. The tree ‘takes up’ various mineral/nutrients from deep below the ground, and with each season grows a new crown of foliage … which is later dropped onto the surface of the ground.

How elegant! No mechanical motorized equipment or machinery required. No harsh petroleum fueled chemical-industrial manufacturing facility involved.

To be sure, this is chemistry. Natural chemistry: the chemical exchange between the soil and roots, through the tree and fueled by the solar energy.

The end result, is that the chemical/mineral nutrients that were once deep in the ground are placed on the surface to replenish the top layer of soil – made available to the many shallow rooted plants.

And we don’t have to do anything. Except appreciate it.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • business • Economics • gardening • Optimization • resilience • waste

Sep 22

A ‘Red Light’ … to more Traffic Signals.

Dynamical Systems, Management, Optimization, Urban Transformation No Comments »

With the installation of each new ‘Traffic Signal’, the possibility of synchronizing the signals becomes increasingly difficult; at some point, the number of traffic signals, and their ‘pressure sensing’ makes it impossible to synchronize.

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Intelligent traffic systems!?!

The ‘Intelligence’ is embodied in (the brains of) ALL of the road users. The traffic signals serve to remove the need for people to be ‘think’ … the only ‘thinking’ involved is what has been encoded into the computer control.

This is very low-level Intelligence.

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Any traffic signal that is wrongfully installed (that should not have been installed), calls into question how many other traffic signals have been wrongfully installed.

Tagged with: cities • design • Optimization • transformation

Sep 17

Nature as the Exemplar of Business: Optimization Part 3

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Management, Optimization, Principles, Sustainability No Comments »

Nature – Life – is the ultimate in ‘Optimization/Utilization Maximization’ … making the best use of resources.

Nature is the exemplar of ‘Zero Waste’: there is no waste in nature … the ‘by-products’ of one process become a feedstock (or resource) for another, etc.

Nature, then, is the ultimate model for business. After all, Nature is the ultimate in ‘busy-ness’, with exquisitely refined organization and processes at all scales of dynamical systems from the chemical reactions on a micro level, to macro ‘food cycles’, etc. This is what gives Life it’s resilience.

Imagine the (improved) quality of products and services, and how much less waste would have been generated over the years/decades had business, and economics for that matter, had a deep respect for nature and sought to learn and emulate the lessons nature provides.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • business • design • Economics • ecosystems • Optimization • resilience

Sep 15

Rocky Mountain Institute: An organization of Abundance

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Management, Optimization, Sustainability, Urban Transformation No Comments »

The Rocky Mountain Institute is a success story of proactive “entrepreneurial … think-and-do-tank”. They are leading-edge in their thinking (and doing).

Based on the principles of Natural Capitalism, their focus is on energy and resource efficiency with regards to our ‘built environment’ and transportation. Their ‘market-oriented’ approach recognizes the need for solid business fundamentals.

Whole-systems thinking is a common thread woven throughout their fields of expertise.

Their library offers a range of articles (PDF) as well a complimentary PDF copy of the complete book, Winning the Oil Endgame, in which their scientific and statistical rigor complements the creativity in presenting real-world solutions. Glance through, at the very least.

In a few weeks, the Rocky Mountain Institute will be holding RMI: 2009 Reinventing Fire – From Ideas to Solutions … a two-day symposium held in San Francisco, to discuss the most challenging questions of our time.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • business • cities • design • Economics • Optimization • resilience • transformation

Sep 13

Stop ‘tampering’ in the garden … and in business, economics, etc.

Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Garden, Management, Optimization No Comments »

Are you new to gardening?

Far too many people actually do too much, in terms of making ‘adjustments’ – ‘fixing’ problems, etc. without really understanding the situation.

Whether with food gardens, or purely aesthetic flower/landscape gardens, I have seen people ‘doing things’ mostly for the sake of ‘doing’ … ‘puttering in the garden’, to make themselves feel as though they’ve accomplished something.

Watering, for instance: I’ve watched people water the garden with the hose – just enough to wet the dry surface to become a rich brown colour, as though they’re painting the ground. And, of course, the earthy aroma is satisfying. But, actually, such ‘light waterings’ are counter-productive Continue reading »

Tagged with: business • design • Economics • ecosystems • gardening • Optimization • waste

Previous Entries

David Nock

Simple Rules: Complex Community Systems

Communities: Fractal Solutions

Solutions as Fractals …

Systemic Change ………………………….. Part 5 Transformation of Mindset: Paradigm of Possibilities

Systemic Change ……………………………… Part 4 Roads as ‘Boundary Conditions’

Systemic Change …………………………… Part 3 Roads: Factor of Community Form and Function

Systemic Change …………………………….. Part 2 Community: Structure as a Leverage Point

Systemic Change ………………………….. Part 1 Community: Structure as a Leverage Point

Communities … and Systemic Change

Understanding Systemic Change

Systems: A Primer

Identity and ‘Place’: Vital Aspects of Community

Communities … as Complex Systems

A ‘Systems Approach’ to Solutions (Part 2)

Community … by Design

Social ‘Behavioural’ Offsetting. (Offsets of a Different Kind)

Falling Leaves: Nature’s Resource Extraction and Distribution

A ‘Red Light’ … to more Traffic Signals.

Nature as the Exemplar of Business: Optimization Part 3

Rocky Mountain Institute: An organization of Abundance

Stop ‘tampering’ in the garden … and in business, economics, etc.

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