Below is V7 of the Systems Thinking Change Wheel, updated in 2026. This is the key infographic that supports the approach.

The Creating the Conditions for Change© approach is a framework for orientation, observation, inquiry and learning to support improvement and change in complex situations. It was inspired by my work since 2005 with Stafford Beer’s viable system model.

I use a combined three part approach. I use the viable system model in a more technical way. I use my creative interpretation of the model as Creating the Conditions for Change© and I use the model for personal development/ development of the individual. Together, this encourages a shift in the underlying paradigm of the situation by focussing on what makes systems viable, as well as considering the more social and human/ personal elements of the situation.

Creating the Conditions for Change© brings to the forefront of our thinking that which makes our situations ‘healthy’. This part of my approach is focussed on how we orientate ourselves to be able to take action and how we strengthen the relational elements to support us. The underlying paradigm shifts to one of learning, as we encourage a learning system to emerge.

The accompanying infographic, the Systems Thinking Change Wheel© was developed as a set of questions and prompts, also inspired by Stafford Beer’s viable system model.

Supporting the infographic is a 20 page A4 booklet, outlining why the questions and prompts in the infographic are important and how they help to shift the paradigm in your complex situation.

The real power of Creating the Conditions for Change© sits in a set of 120 ‘action cards’ which give further detailed questions and prompts to encourage consideration of more healthy, human centred work situations. These materials are used in my consultancy work to undertake ‘systems health checks’ to help you as you consider what actions might be possible next.

In Creating the Conditions for Change© it is not just about individual learning. The whole point is that people can appropriately orientate themselves to make better decisions about what actions to take next.

Others from the ‘Creating the Conditions’  suite of approaches:

• Creating the Conditions for organisational adaptiveness© (using the viable system model)
• Creating the Conditions for change & improvement© (using multiple systems thinking approaches)
• Creating the Conditions for transformational learning© (using the viable system model)
• Creating the Conditions for digital inclusion© (using multiple systems thinking approaches)
• Creating the Conditions for systems change© (using the viable system model)
• Creating the Conditions for effective culture©