Safer Governance of Complex Systems

Ana Andrade, Chris Elliot, Hazel Ingham, and Meaghan O’Neil

This presentation illustrates the process and findings of the “Challenges of the Governance of Complex Systems Project” led by the Engineering X programme (a joint initiative between the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Lloyds Registered Foundation). This project convened researchers, academics, and organisations interested in diverse topics that are relevant while taking systems approaches to understanding the governance of complex systems. Topics included systems safety, laws and regulations, informal governance, socio-technical systems, institutional culture, and power dynamics. Four research teams in different contexts conducted literature reviews and workshops that involved multiple stakeholders. They used many methods to engage their participants in a dialogue that could inform the research team’s understanding of a complex challenge. The information contributes to four think-pieces classified in two areas: the first centred on institutions, culture and regulations with topics “regulations fit for complexity” and “learning from failure,” and the second on societal base analysis exploring two case studies, one on challenges in the governance of the energy system in Africa and the other on fire safety and governance in Dhaka and Cape Town. A synthesis piece interweaves the conclusions reached by the think pieces. The presentation includes the emergent findings of the think pieces and learnings of the process, which included collective intelligence sessions, conversations with advisors, multi-stakeholder workshops, ad-hoc systems 101 sessions, and the reviewing process of the papers produced. 

 KEYWORDS: governance of complex systems, emergent properties, case study approach, fire safety, safety, energy sector, laws and regulations fit for complexity, socioeconomic systems, systems in developing countries, ad hoc and informal settlements, participatory and collaborative mechanisms