Roundtable - Living Systems Design
- Date
- 2024-05-28
- Host
- Gathering of Tribes
About this event
If you’re curious about how systems can be designed to behave more like living things—adaptive, interconnected, regenerative, and responsive—this roundtable is a place to think out loud with other people asking similar questions. Rather than sitting through a one-way presentation, you’ll be part of a focused in-person conversation where ideas can be tested, challenged, and expanded in real time. What Is This? Roundtable - Living Systems Design is an in-person meetup built around discussion, exchange, and shared inquiry. The focus is living systems design: an approach that looks at how natural systems, communities, organizations, and networks evolve, relate, and sustain themselves over time, and what that can teach us about designing better human systems. This is not framed as a formal conference session or a passive lecture. The roundtable format makes space for multiple perspectives, practical examples, and open questions. You can expect a room where conversation matters as much as expertise, and where thoughtful participation is part of the value of being there. Because the topic sits at the intersection of design, systems thinking, community, and social practice, the event is likely to attract people with different backgrounds who share a common interest in complexity and change. That mix is part of the point: living systems are best understood through relationships, and this gathering is designed to surface those relationships through dialogue. Whether you work directly in systems design or you’re exploring how these ideas connect to your own field, the event offers a setting to engage the topic in a grounded, human way. What to Expect The experience is centered on live conversation. Instead of a rigid agenda packed with presentations, expect a structure that helps people quickly get into the substance of the topic and build on each other’s thinking. You can expect elements like: A shared opening frame to set context for the conversation Roundtable discussion focused on living systems design, principles, tensions, and applications Peer exchange across disciplines, experiences, and viewpoints Space for questions that do not have simple answers Informal networking before, during, or after the core discussion The value of a roundtable comes from the quality of contributions in the room. Some people may bring examples from practice; others may bring frameworks, observations, or unresolved challenges. The event format supports both. You do not need to arrive with polished answers, but it helps to come ready to listen closely, speak clearly, and stay open to complexity. Because this is an in-person meetup, expect a more natural flow than you might get online. Side conversations, follow-up questions, and small moments of connection often lead to the most useful insights. If you enjoy discussion that is thoughtful without being overly formal, this format should feel productive. Why Attend Living systems design is a useful lens for anyone working with complexity, whether that means teams, communities, services, organizations, ecosystems, or social challenges. This event gives you a chance to explore that lens with others in a way that is interactive rather than abstract. You may leave with: A sharper understanding of what living systems design means in practice New language and frameworks for thinking about interdependence, adaptation, and resilience Fresh perspectives from people approaching similar questions from different angles Better questions to bring back to your own work, research, or community Meaningful connections with people interested in systems, design, and social change Just as important, the roundtable format can help you test your own assumptions. Hearing how others define the boundaries of a system, where they see leverage points, or how they think about emergence can shift the way you approach your own projects. Even one strong conversation can reframe a challenge you have been looking at too narrowly. This is also a good event for people who value substance over performance. If you would rather participate in a smart, grounded discussion than sit through broad generalities, the structure of this meetup should be a strong fit. Practical Details This event is in person, which makes it especially well suited to discussion, relationship-building, and nuanced conversation. The face-to-face setting supports the kind of trust and spontaneity that often helps systems thinking become more concrete and collaborative. Date and time: Tuesday, May 28 at 10:00 AM GMT+1. If you plan to attend, it’s worth arriving a little early if possible so you can settle in and be ready for the opening conversation from the start. A few useful ways to prepare: Come ready to participate, not just observe Bring a current question or challenge related to systems, design, community, or change Expect a cross-disciplinary room and be ready to explain your work simply Leave some mental space for reflection, since the most useful insights may emerge through discussion rather than presentation If the topic of living systems design has been sitting at the edge of your work, this roundtable offers a practical way to move it closer to the center. You’ll spend time with people who are interested in how systems actually function, how they evolve, and how we might design with greater awareness of connection, complexity, and life.
Who should attend
This will be most valuable if you like thinking in systems, learning through conversation, and connecting ideas across disciplines. - **You work in design, strategy, research, innovation, or facilitation** and want to explore how living systems thinking can deepen the way you approach complexity. - **You’re building or supporting communities, networks, or organizations** and want better ways to think about adaptation, resilience, relationships, and long-term health. - **You’re a systems thinker or curious practitioner** who enjoys discussion more than presentation and wants to exchange ideas with others in a focused in-person setting. - **You’re navigating messy social, organizational, or ecological challenges** and want perspectives that move beyond linear problem-solving. - **You value thoughtful networking** and want to meet people who care about design, interdependence, and how change happens in real systems. - **You don’t need to be an expert**—if you’re engaged with the questions, willing to contribute, and open to learning from others, you’re likely to get a lot from the room.