Complexity Analysis
These problems are prevalent in all spheres of social life and we all face them on a regular basis: for instance, poverty, education inequality, economic inequality, high levels of pollution, poor environmental quality, racism, corruption, violence, etc. These problems cannot be easily simplified and always resist solutions. They are messy and lack one solution since the outputs tend to also be inputs. Hence, they are not easy to understand and solve using traditional approaches. Solutions that follow linear stages are incapable of addressing the problems effectively because they tend to take a narrow focus on the problems. Therefore, it is imperative that those that attempt to solve these complex problems acquire the skills to diagnose them effectively and manage them appropriately. Addressing these problems requires a shift in the world view that conventional linear approaches take. We have designed the manual to help anyone interested in understanding complex problems, diagnosing them, and designing appropriate solutions for them. This entails understanding what a complex system is, the interactions and interconnections involved in it, the concept of complex causality, and that of emergence.
SAYDS uses the Complexity Analysis Toolkit to equip people with skills for solving complex social problems. This approach seeks to improve the existing teaching and training approaches that are used to equip people with such skills. CAT uses a combination of the science of learning and design thinking principles, with a clear focus on the application of systems thinking, rather than a mere explanation of these concepts. Hence, youth learn by doing. The expected outcome for success is to co-design an intervention plan that is comprehensive, sustainable, and low-commitment-high-impact; this will also reflect young people’s ability to use systems thinking in designing systemic solutions for complex social problems they seek to solve later.
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