How to Explain Systems Change to a 13-Year-Old

As we began to describe what a system is, Eilidh quickly compared it to the way her school works. Using that analogy, the abstract idea of systems maps became much more concrete. We discussed the people who influence her “system”—parents, teachers, principals, and other students. She talked about the issues within the system that she’d like to addr... See more

collaboration and clear communication go hand in hand—and we have to be deliberate about both

• Break abstract ideas down into actions. It’s often easier to understand a tool if we describe how it works, rather than what it is. We believe innovation is a deliberate practice, so it follows that we should articulate the actions that make up that practice.


• Use concrete examples. Most social innovation tools are forged through experience—iterati

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