Calls for ‘system change’ and ‘transformation’ are everywhere right now. Many people feel that the societal challenges we face require big, generational shifts—so terms like “systems change”, “systems transformation”, “deep change” have become increasingly popular.
What does that mean practically? In a 2020 webinar on evaluating system and transformative change, Michael Quinn Patton noted that if changemakers want that level of change, they must be clear about two things: their theory of system change or transformation—how they believe systems actually change, and how their work will contribute to that kind of change.
This series introduces some foundational ideas and frameworks about systems change and transformation.
An exhaustive catalogue of systems change frameworks; the field contains many overlapping models, lenses, and typologies, far more than any single series could responsibly cover.
A comprehensive theory of systems change, particularly with respect to internal dynamics such as paradigms, identity, values, sense-making, emotion, or informal power.
A small set of foundational ideas and distinctions—drawn from widely used frameworks—that change-makers should be broadly conversant in when designing, supporting, or evaluating systems change efforts.
Practitioner-informed adaptations of these frameworks, shaped by how they have been productively used in real-world change work across different organizations, sectors, and contexts.
So, these resources offer a starting point that practitioners should understand and have in their back pocket when working on initiatives aimed at deep, long-term system evolution.
Click the dropdown to learn more and download each guide in the series.