Russell Ackoff: A Lifetime of Systems Thinking
Wow - a fantastic article/transcription. There's a reason Russell was known far and wide for his deep work in Systems Thinking. No BS, no apologies, and he is wise enough to know that he doesn't know it all.
Very worth reading, and taking from theory into practice on many fronts.
"Editor’s note: This article is drawn from a speech given by Russell Ackoff at a Villanova University conference honoring his lifetime of work in systems theory and practice—and celebrating his 80th birthday. In the address, Russell, who died last month at the age of 90, reflects on what he enjoyed most about being a lifelong systems thinker. This article was reprinted in The Systems Thinker by permission of Plenum Press."
Fishing Rods From Carrot Sticks and Canvas Made of Concrete?! Seven Amazing Materials | Slideshows
Physical materials have been rapidly reinvented and rethought in the last year. Companies are getting smarter about the consumption of energy/materials, being able to repurpose what would have been thought of as waste as a source of energy/resources, etc..
"Behind every classic of design lies some innovation in materials or fabrication. So what materials will tomorrow's brilliant new products be made from? Material Connexion, a materials library for designers, has just unveiled its inaugural MEDIUM awards, for the best materials of the year. The grand-prize winner and the 11 honorable mentions will then be shown in January at the Material Connexion showroom in New York. Here's an exclusive sneak peek of a few of those mind-bending innovations."
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.




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