SERVICE

I employed a hermeneutic approach to study historical movements within the field of systems science. The framework is grounded in an analysis of the roles of key figures and their contributions to design and systems thinking. While most systems methods are based on an ontological framing of systems, I reframe this approach as an epistemic conception, focusing on how systems are interpreted, and constructed across different schools of thought. This work resulted in a virtual, conversational narrative that categorizes and links key statements from researchers such as Niklas Luhmann, Peter Checkland, Michael C. Jackson, and Russell Ackoff.

Models are less complicated than maps and are therefore particularly useful for education. I redesigned the iceberg model to help systemic design (SD) students understand different layers of systems—micro, meso, and macro. The framework was initially created for teaching purposes in collaboration with the private sector, supporting students in first understanding systems and then visualizing strategic intervention paths. Its development was informed by real-life examples and influenced by the work of Donella Meadows. The model has proven effective as a tool for revealing the deeper structures and dynamics of systems.

I approach design rituals as pedagogical materials. This work explores how traditional rituals can be redesigned to enhance community engagement. Using the Iranian practice of Nazri—a social custom centered on communal care and food sharing—as a case study, I developed a new service system. The original idea emerged from a course in culture-sensitive design that I attended as a student. Over time, however, the project has evolved into a broader proposal for strengthening community-building practices and for generating social and material outcomes that support the construction and adaptation of new ways of sensemaking.

The DDC Protocol was developed as part of my PhD research, during which I designed a research protocol for the usability testing of systemic design projects. To validate this methodology, I conducted extensive fieldwork that included discussions and interviews with design researchers and practitioners. The validation protocol was developed with its own distinct agenda, a set of value dimensions, and a tailored research strategy incorporating inquiries drawn from Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH). The project is ongoing, and the framework presented here reflects the conceptualization of the method as it was proposed to participants.