Thomas Slensvik
Military planning is often perceived as rigid and hierarchical, yet its practitioners routinely operate in environments marked by uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid change. Contrary to common stereotypes, military operations demand not just discipline but also creativity, adaptability, and systemic awareness-qualities that resonate strongly with the ethos of systemic design. This paper explores how established military practices, when examined through a systemic design lens, reveal overlooked forms of creativity and innovation, offering valuable insights for both fields.
Drawing on four cases-command huddles, rich design spaces (command centres), operational design, and wargaming-this study demonstrates how military methods embed systemic design principles such as multi-level sensemaking, boundary-crossing collaboration, and iterative problem-solving. These cases show that military tools are not merely procedural artefacts but dynamic frameworks for managing complexity and fostering collective creativity. By reframing these practices as “co-creation cards” for systemic designers, the study highlights their potential to enrich the systemic design repertoire, particularly in domains that require structured yet adaptive approaches.
The research is conducted as an ongoing Research by Design process, where cases emerged through cycles of practice, reflection, and experimentation, drawing on both extensive military experience and academic inquiry. The resulting co-creation cards are prototypes-intended as probes for further testing, adaptation, and collaborative development within the systemic design community. The next phase will involve using these cards with design students and practitioners, inviting feedback and empirical validation to refine their relevance and applicability.
This work addresses the central question: How can reframing military tools as systemic design artefacts foster mutual learning between these domains?
By surfacing the “traces of design” in military contexts, the paper encourages a two-way dialogue: systemic designers gain access to proven tools for navigating uncertainty, while military professionals are prompted to reflect on and intentionally develop the designerly aspects of their practice. The findings contribute to the ongoing evolution of systemic design, bridging disciplinary boundaries and offering new pathways for creativity and innovation in high-stakes, complex environments. Readers and practitioners are invited to experiment with and provide feedback on the co-creation cards, supporting the continuous, collaborative advancement of systemic design methods.
Keywords: Systemic design, research by design, military planning, creativity, co-creation cards, complexity