Systemic Design for Complex Social Systems

ZANG Dan; XIE Yumei; GONG Miaosen

doi:10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2025.14.002

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Packaging Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (14) : 9-22. DOI: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2025.14.002

Industrial Design

Systemic Design for Complex Social Systems

ZANG Dan, XIE Yumei, GONG Miaosen

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Abstract

In terms of wicked problems in complex social systems, the work aims to help designers iteratively upgrade systems design in the system engineering domain to the systemic design based on the soft systems methodology. Starting from the design challenge in complex social systems, the applicability of systems design was considered again seriously. By sorting out the concept and connotations of systemic design, the systemic design was defined as a thinking way with specific connotations such as holistic system thinking, constructive design process and integrated intervention strategies. Then, a three-level systemic design thinking framework was constructed based on the existing theory, including "systematic mental model, iterative practice methodology, adaptive methods and tools set". Through literature review and theoretical thinking, combined with a typical systemic design practices by authors, the design value of systemic design in traditional and emerging design fields has been explored, guiding designers to promote system-level change in various professional fields with the help of systemic design.

Key words

systems design / systemic design / system-level change / design value

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ZANG Dan, XIE Yumei, GONG Miaosen. Systemic Design for Complex Social Systems[J]. Packaging Engineering. 2025, 46(14): 9-22 https://doi.org/10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2025.14.002

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