Reset back to main menu Whole Systems Design
 

Learn More About The WSD Graduate Programs
The Travel Abroad Program: Journey to Bali
Events in the WSD Community
The WSD Faculty and Staff Community
We Welcome your Feedback!
The WSD Institute
Networking with the WSD Community
Inquiring into WSD Degree Programs
WSD Community Resources
Student Pages within the WSD Community

WSD Newsletter Summer 1998

WSD Students Present at Udayana University

During the study abroad trip to Bali this Spring, several Whole System Design students presented at a one-day seminar at Udayana University. Elaine Jessen collaborated with Professor Adnyana Manuaba, who is the head of the Physiology Department (which includes Human Ecology) at Udayana University, to create the format of the seminar. They designed the seminar to be interactive so the Antioch group could get acquainted with scholars from Bali and vice versa. The participants included about fifty Balinese faculty, students, members of a human ecology study group, and non-governmental agencies along with the seventeen Antioch students who were on the Bali trip and Elaine. Several Balinese presented on topics such as the traditional midwifery practice in Bali and the meaning of Balinese food for the Hindu religion. From Antioch, Individualized Whole Systems Design students Morgan McCartor, Dave Beck, and Carol Stewart presented.

Morgan McCartor presented on the complexity barrier within Boeing. Through her work with Boeing and her education in Whole Systems Design she has been looking at the processes within Boeing and how Boeing is working towards understanding the human side of the organization. Dave Beck presented on his practice of Breema body work. After Dave's demonstration of Breema one of the medical doctors in the audience asked him to work on her mother. Carol Stewart reported on her work with environmental activists. Carol brings the activists together to work on issues such as burn-out and to value and learn from the different perspectives among the group.

The relationship between Antioch University and Udayana University began in the Summer of 1992 when Elaine contacted Prof. Manuaba at Udayana to explore the possibilities of collaboration. The systemic nature of the philosophy and the work done in Prof. Manuaba's Physiology department is very compatible with the Whole System Design philosophy. Prof. Manuaba founded the Physiology Department in 1962. Although the department's main goal is to teach human physiology to medical students, Manuaba has incorporated Human Ecology, Ergonomics, Occupational Health, Human Ecology, Industrial Hygiene, Tourism, and Sustainable Development into the curriculum and the department. The students, staff, and faculty of the Physiology Department are actively engaged in development issues that Bali is forced to face due to industrialization and tourism. Prof. Manuaba would like to create a department and graduates who are capable of dealing with the problems and issues of society from a holistic perspective.

Through the one-day seminar at Udayana and other communications the hope is to develop the opportunity to collaboratively participate in joint research, seminars, workshops, and conferences. The students who participated in the 1998 Bali trip are hoping to be involved in planning a two-day conference in Bali for the following study abroad trip, or sooner. We would welcome the opportunity for Udayana students to come and stay in Seattle and visit Antioch for a similar seminar as well. Through these activities and by keeping the lines of communication open, both parties will benefit and learn more about how to address the problems we all face, locally and globally.

Faculty News

Harold Nelson recently co-presented a two-day workshop, The Design of Fire, which piqued so much enthusiasm and interest that monthly follow-up events for alums, students, and the broader community are planned; he is starting to recruit and market for the new OSR Midwest program in Chicago; he has co-authored a manuscript which will be published by the first of the year entitled, Creating a Design of Culture; he will be presenting with Dr. Erik Stolterman at the International Participatory Design Conference here in Seattle in November; he continues to research the historical roots of advanced design in western tradition; oh... he is also the Director of the Whole Systems Design Programs and continues to teach a series of classes as well as seminars.

The first question I had for Harold Nelson, our Program Director and fearless leader was "When do you have time to do any of this?" Any of you know that when you see Harold on campus he is either in a meeting or has several people lined up in his office waiting to talk to him, and this includes the obscene hours of 8:00 a.m. and p.m.

The Design of Fire took place on May 15th and 16th. The Friday night session was a dual presentation by Dr. Harold Nelson and Dr. Erik Stolterman and Saturday was an all-day workshop. There proved to be a greater interest than we expected, almost to the point of wondering if everyone would fit in the room. Several participants were so enthralled that they decided to set up a continuous forum to discuss these ideas with each other and Harold. The immense interest also proved that Harold and Erik need to present again soon.

Harold plans to take some time this summer to focus on his and Erik's book, Creating a Design Culture. Content is not the problem, in fact he has realized they now have enough content for two volumes. Currently, he is exchanging the manuscript back and forth with Erik Stolterman, both of them fighting for time to spend editing and finessing.

His evening alum seminar, the 10-week session just ended, was very well received. He is finishing up his seminar "Creating a Design Culture," and will teach "Creating a Culture of Design" in the Fall.

Harold's excitement about his research of the historical roots of advanced design was quite obvious; his face lit up, he became animated, and grew in stature in a matter of moments. "By looking back to Classical Greek eras and earlier I have been able to trace how people felt either separate or a part of active creation and creativity. It has started overlapping with cosmology and philosophy, the idea of giving oneself the permission to create and to be creators and to not leave it to the will of the gods. To change the mindset to believe that what happens can be due to intentional human action instead of only through the will of gods or by necessity through physical laws and rules of reason. In Nostic tradition, gospels were written by women. Women had equal access to authority and could even become bishops. This is an example of a tradition where people opened up to the idea of design being something they participated in and equality was natural. Not necessarily that everyone was equal, but the access to knowledge was open to everyone so everyone had the ability to improve themselves and the world. When people turned their authority over to the church or science, the role and idea of design changed and continued to change in the Industrial age and is changing today. But the time is right to reverse that trend."

Harold started the interview with the modest question of, "What am I doing that would be of interest?" An hour and a half later I realized he is doing too much and he needed to stop talking to me so he could get back to one of his numerous projects. Look at our calendar on page five to find out specific times and dates of when Harold will be presenting again and to find out more about other Institute events.

Farouk Seif Dr. Farouk Seif has been selected to serve as our campus Faculty Representative on the Design & Planning Committee for the Antioch University Faculty Conference to be held at Antioch Southern California on November 5-7, 1998. Farouk has just returned from Los Angeles where he worked with other Faculty Representatives to design the theme, schedule of activities, and the process for the conference. Farouk expects the conference to be an inspiring event.

Sue Woehrlin (WSD core faculty) and Pat Vivian (adjunct faculty) are co-leading a team of Antioch students providing pro-bono consultation to a local nonprofit.

This project grew out of the "Large Group Interventions for Whole Systems Change" class Sue & Pat co-taught Winter Quarter co-sponsored by both WSD and the Psychology Human Resources Development Program. The course examined the principles and practices of an emerging family of change methodologies which bring together a critical mass of an organization's or community's members at one time for an intensive few days of interactive visioning, planning, learning, or other collaborative work. Near the end of winter quarter seven representatives from a local nonprofit, considering a systems-wide intervention, volunteered to join the class one night so students could practice consulting with a real client system about their readiness and interest in such an approach. That evening created sufficient energy that the client was ready to proceed- and as it turned out, so were Sue & Pat and a number of class participants!

So over the intervening three months, and for at least the next four, the team is consulting with the client on the design and facilitation of a three-day event to be held in September, focusing on visioning the next generation of the organization's future in the context of the changing environment in which it finds itself. The consulting group shares leadership responsibilities in it's work, and is committed to reflecting on and learning from the process- and helping the client grow in their capacity through the collaboration as well.

Though known as 'the Antioch team," this project is operating under the umbrella of the Community Consulting Project. CCP is a loose association of some 50-60 change professionals committed to promoting learning through service. CCP teams of volunteer consultants working collaboratively with non-profits who can't afford to pay for consultation.

Along with Pat & Sue the consulting group includes seven students: Susan Adams Gunn, Morgan McCartor, Jesse Kellogg, and Tracy Puett from WSD, and Jim Booth, Virginia Rhoads, and Kate Williams from PSYCH/HRD. J.C. May, a WSD alum rounds out the ten member team. If you are interested in hearing more about this project or CCP, please ask one of us!

Internship Opportunity

The Association For Quality And Participation (AQP) is a group comprised of organizational development specialists who have just acknowledged to themselves that they need a facilitator for their monthly meetings. They are offering this internship opportunity to a Whole Systems Design student or students as an experiential opportunity.

DETAILS:

  • Meetings are held at the home of the co-leader on Admiral Hill in West Seattle. Bus #54 or #56 makes a direct connection, and I am told the view is fabulous.
  • Board members also come from Kent, Alki, and Beacon Hill; and one member drives home after to Edmonds. They may be able to provide transportation from or to those areas, if necessary.
  • Meetings are from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and the facilitator is requested to arrive by 5:30 p.m.
  • Flip charts, tape, and fragrance pens are provided.
  • Meeting dates are on the 3rd Wednesday of each month: 7/15, 8/19, 9/16, 10/21, and 11/18.
  • The internship can be shared with 2 students, either trading off or working together.
  • There is no payment to augment the experience, but Peter Block (author of Fawless Consulting) is an affiliated member of this group at the national level, and you will be invited to "A Day with Peter Block" in November, helping out behind the scenes and attending at no cost.

Please contact Robin Bingman, WSD Program Associate, 206-441-5352 x5903 immediately if you are interested or if you know of any other internship opportunities. Call before Wednesday, July 8 at 5:00 p.m. to apply. The selected student(s) will be notified on July 10.

Interview With Tracy Puett: WSD Individualized Student

Tracy Puett, a Whole Systems Design Individualized student, who recently convened his first degree committee meeting, was kind enough to take time out of his very hectic schedule to show me how he is applying his whole systems design education to his work.

Tracy is part of a consulting team with Sue Woehrlin (WSD core faculty) and Pat Vivian (adjunct faculty) which is providing pro-bono consultation to a Seattle based nonprofit health care institute. By facilitating organizational alignment and a vision for the future, the team is able to help the individuals in the institute find common goals and direction. This particular project is centered on using Large Group Intervention Models for large scale meetings with organizations. Elements of Future Search, Open Space Technology, and Real Time Strategic Change (among others) are being used in the service of assisting this organization prepare itself for the next 20 years.

Tracy and Jesse Kellogg (WSD Individualized student) have previously contracted with a local county office to facilitate a seminar for people from public, private, and nonprofit organizations as well as community citizens who are interested with or concerned about the quality of the ground water in the area. Working with a design team that was a microcosm of the larger group, they designed and facilitated a large-scale meeting where they addressed questions such as, "What are the challenges and opportunities for interagency coordination in protecting ground water quality?" The result of the was a proposal to initiate a coordinating body within the county to facilitate interagency communication and collaboration. The goal of this body is to reduce regulatory conflicts and increase proactive approaches to environmental quality.

Recently, Tracy conducted "Personal Excellence in the Collaborative Setting," a three-hour team development and collaboration skills workshop here at Antioch. The workshop gave people the exposure to models of dialogue and collaborative skills-such as active listening, balancing of inquiry and advocacy, and surfacing of assumptions. Tracy states his goal of the workshop was "to provide a place where people can practice these ideas they have most likely already been exposed to. People need to practice these ideas, but they need to do so in a safe environment."

Tracy is now entering the second half of the nine-month Citizen Leaders Institute, sponsored by the Center For Ethical Leadership. Through this experience he is being exposed to a diverse array of people from throughout Seattle and he finds this very rewarding. "The opportunity to meet passionate, committed people from many walks of life is exciting! Moreover, I am flexing my skills in doing community work with other members of a Citizen Action Team (CAT). In the CAT we are designing an environmental education experience on the Duwamish River with a group of middle school kids. After the day on the river we are planning on creating and placing some (possibly permanent/possibly biodegradable) artwork with the participants near the river for public enjoyment and education. It's great. I am doing whole systems design work while learning it; it is not separate."

Congratulations June Graduates!

  • Bryan Baker
  • Lisa Dodge
  • Karen Gorrin
  • Miriam Grace-Rowland
  • Emily Heindsmann
  • Sharon Holt
  • Keith Makila
  • Robin Mastro
  • Jackie Moorey
  • Bill Patterson
  • Claire Ryan
  • Darlean Tipke

Upcoming Events

Feng Shui Principles of Natural Design

Thursday, July 9 & 16 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Seattle Antioch University

Applications of the Traditional Eastern Model of the Universe in Space and Structure

A two-part Workshop with Shan-Tung Hsu, Ph.D. The first session's emphasis will be on the concepts and tradition of Feng Shui and the second workshop will focus on contemporary applications of Feng Shui.

The first session may be taken alone for $30 or both sessions for $60. Both sessions will be held in Room 100 of Antioch University.

Contact:
Corbin Lewars, WSD
Seattle Antioch University
Tel: (206) 441-5352 ext. 5906.

Design of Fire Salon

Tuesday, July 14, 4:30-7:00 p.m.
Seattle, WA

A continuation of ideas and issues raised from The Design of Fire workshop presented by Dr. Harold Nelson and Dr. Erik Stolterman.

The meeting will be held at the QFC Conference Center, University Village, 2746 NE 45th, Seattle, WA.

Contact:
Corbin Lewars, WSD
Seattle Antioch University.
Tel: (206) 441-5352 ext. 5906.

Sustainable Technology in Complex Social and Ecological Systems

The 42nd Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences

July 19-24, 1998
Atlanta, GA

Hosted by Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA.

Contact: Janet Allen,
Woodruff School of Mech.
Engineering, Georgia Tech,
Atlanta, GA 30322.
Tel: (404) 894-8168
Fax: (404) 894-9342
Email: janet.allen@me.gatech.edu

Building the High Trust, High Performance Organization

Friday, July 31, 1998. 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Seattle Antioch University

In this one-day, participative workshop, you will explore the territory of trust and fear, hope and cynicism at work, gaining increasing understanding of critical skills and strategies for individuals and organizations to employ aspects of your own behavior that get in the way of trust and collaboration.

Contact:
Corbin Lewars, WSD
Seattle Antioch University
Tel: (206) 441-5352 ext. 5906

Wellness By Design Personal Development through Physical Culture

Tuesdays 8/11, 8/25, 9/8 1998, 5:30-9:30 p.m.
Seattle Antioch University

Saturdays 8/15 & 8/29 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Seattle Antioch University

Deadline for registration is June 26, 1998.

All sessions will take place at Antioch University. This course invites participants to design their own wellness program based on a Whole Systems approach informed by the most recent mind/body research from the social and biological sciences. Cost for students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Antioch University $475.00

Cost for all others $1150.00

Contact:
Corbin Lewars, WSD
Seattle Antioch University
Tel: (206) 441-5352 ext. 5906

Eleventh International Conference on Design and Technology Educational Research and Curriculum Development (IDATER '98)

August 24-26, 1998
United Kingdom

Contact:
The Department of Design and Technology at Loughborough University
Loughborough, Leics
Email: E.Havard-Williams@lboro.ac.uk
Web: www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cd/docs_dandt/idater/index.html

DesignQuest 2: Changing Energy into Form

September 13-17, 1998
United Kingdom

DQ2 is an inspiring forum for the creation and exchange of knowledge, experience, and action.

Contact:
Cris de Groot, Design Research, BIAD
Corporation Street, Birmingham, B4 7Dx, UK
Email: e.dtg@cdegroot.demon.co.uk
Web: www.cdegroot.demon.co.uk

Learning Communities: Building. Enduring, Capability

September 16-18, 1998
San Francisco, CA

Contact:
Pegasus Communications, Inc.
One Moody St.
Waltham, MA 02154
Tel: (800) 272-0945
Web: www.pegasuscom.com

Lifelong Learning on a Connected Planet

September 21-23, 1998
Oxford, United Kingdom

Contact:
Web: www.tall.ox.ac.uk/alt/alt-c98

Doctoral Education in Design

October 9-11, 1998
Columbus, OH

Contact:
The Ohio State University, Columbus
OH, 43210, USA

The 23rd International Design Management Conference

October 18-22, 1998
Chatham, MA
The Chatham Bars Inn

Contact:
The Design Management Institute
29 Temple Place, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02111-1350
Tel: (617) 338-6380
Fax: (617) 338-6570
Email: dmistaff@dmi.org
Web: www.dmi.org

The 9th International Forum on Design Management Research and Education

Fall 1998
Boston, MA

Contact:
The Design Management Institute
29 Temple Place, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02111-1350
Tel: (617) 338-6380
Fax: (617) 338-6570
Email: dmistaff@dmi.org
Web: www.dmi.org

The Participatory Design Conference (PDC '98)

November 12-14, 1998
Seattle, WA

Dr. Harold Nelson and Dr. Erik Stolterman will be presenting at this international conference.

Contact:
David Levinger
University of Massachusettes
Lowell, Lowell MA, 01854
Tel: (978) 934-2903
email: pdc98-chairs@cpsr.org
Web: www.cpsr.org/conferences/pdc98

4th Design Thinking Research Symposium: Design Representation

April 23-25, 1998
Cambridge, MA

This symposium will explore the subject of design representation, from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Call for proposals on themes of history and culture, cognition, or technologies and media are being accepted until July 15, 1998.

Contact:
William L. Porter
Department of Architecture, MIT
Cambridge, MA, 02139
Tel: (617) 253-9415
email: wlporter@mit.edu

Congratulations Voucher Award Recipients!

The Voucher Committee met on June 11th to decide what students would receive voucher money this quarter. Chris Chandler and Marjorie St. Clair were both awarded voucher money for their upcoming projects. Chris will be studying "Carl Jung and the Science/Mythology Relationship. Marjorie is learning more about film design.

Thank you Lorraine English, Keith Makila, and Tracy Puett for serving on the Voucher Committee.

Please contact Robin Bingman, Program Associate, at (206) 441-5352 ext. 5903 for more information about the voucher process.

New Information Line!

Beginning July 6th, there is a new way to find out what's going on in the Whole Systems Design Department. Give us a call! It's easy! It's timely! It's informative! It's helpful!

206-441-5352, Extension 5915

Updated weekly, the WSD Info Line can be accessed anytime from anywhere to provide you with the information you need...details about important deadlines, upcoming meetings, exciting workshops and events, internship opportunities, administrative STUFF and more!

Resources

Newsleters & Journals Related to Whole Systems Design

Design Issues: History/Theory/Criticism

A journal of history, theory, and criticism, where leading designers and scholars explore the cultural and intellectual dimensions of the nonarchitectural design fields to provide new perspective on contemporary practice, technology, and education.

Coordinating Editor:
Dennis Doordan
College of Architecture, Art, and Urban Planning
School of Art and Design
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.

Publisher:
MIT Press Journals

Design Management Journal

Design Management Journal is devoted to articles and case studies exploring how designin products, communication, and environmentsis an essential resource, a component of every organization that can be effectively managed to make important contributions to the bottom line and to long-term success.

Editor-in-Chief: Thomas Walton, Ph.D., Associate Dean
School of Architecture and Planning
The Catholic University of America

Publisher:
The Design Management Institute

Design Research Newsletter

The quarterly newsletter of the Design Research Society

Editor-in-Chief:
Dr. Stephen Little
Faculty of Management and Business
The Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester, UK

Publisher:
The Design Research Society

Design Studies

The international journal for design research in engineering, architecture, products, and systems.

Editor-in-Chief:
Professor Nigel Cross
Design Discipline
Faculty of Technology
Open University
Milton Keynes, UK

Publisher:
Elsevier Science Ltd.

Systems Research and Behavioral Science

The Official Journal of the International Federation for Systems Research.

Editor-in-Chief:
M.C. Jackson
Dean of Management
Lincoln University Campus
Lincoln, UK

Publisher:
John Wiley & Sons

The Systems Thinker: Building Shared Understanding

The Systems Thinker explores both the theory and practice of the learning organization, with particular emphasis on systems thinking as the cornerstone of the five disciplines (as outlined by Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline)

Managing Editor:
Janice Molloy

Publisher:
Pegasus Communications, Inc.

Yes!

A Journal of Positive Futures

Executive Editor:
Sarah van Gelder

Publisher:
Positive Futures Network

Speak Up!

We would like to use the newsletter as a forum for exchanging information and questions between the WSD Department staff and faculty and the students. We realize it is difficult to plan a meeting where all can attend, so we would like students to submit their questions about curriculum or procedures to the department, so we can address and answer the question publicly in the newsletter. We are particularly interested in hearing what kind of learning activities you would like to see offered through our Institute events or as a WSD class. We would also like to hear what changes you would like to see made in the current WSD curriculum. Please submit your comments or questions to Corbin Lewars, in the WSD office or email her on First Class or at Corbin_Lewars@mist.seattleantioch.edu.

Current Faculty

Program Director
Harold Nelson, Ph.D.

Core Faculty
Rodney E. Donaldson, Ph.D.
Betsy Geist, M.A.
Elaine Jessen, M.A.
Farouk Seif, Ph.D.
Maralyn Turner, Ph.D.
Margaret Walker, M.A.
Sue Woehrlin, M.A.
Bob Woodruff, M.B.A., M.A.

Staff Program Associate
Robin Bingman, M.A.

Program Assistant
Corbin Lewars

Office Manager
Hank Willimon

Work Study
Bridget McAlonan

Contact Info

Graduate Programs in Whole Systems Design
2326 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121-1814
Phone: (206) 441-5352 ext.5900
Fax: (206) 441-3307
http://arashi.seattleantioch.edu/wsd/

 


Antioch Home Page | Arashi Home Page

WSD Home Page
About WSD | Bali | Events | Faculty and Staff | Feedback
WSD Institute | Networks | Degree Programs | Resources | Students


 

Comments, questions? WSD Web Team

Antioch University Seattle Logo

© 1998 Antioch University Seattle
2326 Sixth Avenue
Seattle Washington 98121

Last Update: July 14, 1998