Teorias de Sistemas Críticos para diagnóstico de grupos sociais no âmbito do Design

Este artigo tem como premissa principal investigar como designers podem aplicar as abordagens críticas do pensamento de sistemas (systems thinking) para o diagnóstico de grupos sociais. Para isso, faz-se primeiramente uma abordagem teórica sobre assuntos pertinentes como Design, Artesanato e teorias de sistemas interpretativistas e críticos como Total Systems Intervention (TSI) e a Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH). Depois, apresenta-se uma descrição do caso de projeto social investigado neste trabalho, o Rede de Mulheres, oferecido pela secretaria da Mulher e Assuntos da Família de Apucarana, no estado do Paraná. Então, caracteriza-se a coleta de dados no projeto e a relação das informações com as teorias de sistemas críticos. Ao final da aplicação da CSH, foram identificados três pontos para intervenção de design: (I) capacitação das artesãs para repassarem os conhecimentos a fim expandir e perpetuar o grupo; (II) rever os preços dos produtos e a estratégia de divulgação de procedência deles; e (III) intervenção do Design de Serviço no sistema a fim de mitigar desigualdades de poder.

Toward Valuing With Critical Systems Heuristics

Evaluation is defined by its central task of valuing—the process and product of judging the merit, worth, or significance of a policy or program. However, there are no clear-cut ways to consider values and render value judgments in evaluation practice. There remains contention in the evaluation field about whether and how to make value judgments. No approach to valuing eliminates the uncertainty, plurality, and potential for conflict that comes with considering values. This article explores what critical systems heuristics (CSH), an area of applied systems thinking, might contribute to four long-standing issues regarding valuing: envisioning the social value of evaluation, framing the evaluand and evaluation, selecting and justifying criteria, and determining the roles of the evaluator(s) and stakeholders in valuing. CSH contributes concepts and tools that, in theory, support more reflective, responsible valuing although further practical application is needed.

Improving IT project governance: A reflective analysis based on critical systems heuristics

IT project governance involves establishing authority structures, policies and mechanisms for IT projects. However, the way governance arrangements are implemented can sometimes exclude or marginalise important stakeholders. In this paper, we use critical systems thinking, and the notions of boundary critique and entrenched structural conflict, to inform a critical re-analysis of a case study where the governance proved relatively ineffective. We use the ‘twelve questions’ from the critical systems heuristics (CSH) approach to diagnose problems with governance arrangements and suggest solutions. Based on this, we suggest the CSH approach has theoretical and practical efficacy for improving IT project governance in general.