VSM Simulation “Pasta Lasta”
Learning the VSM by Running a Restaurant The restaurant Pasta Lasta has been overbooked. The kitchen wants to know which orders take priority. The bar has its own guests to look after. Meanwhile, a supermarket buyer wants to put the restaurant’s famous tomato sauce on the shelves. Who decides? What can people resolve themselves? Where…
VSM7 Walkthrough
A first step towards an open-source VSM software Applying the Viable System Model is hard. But there is the 7-step methodology of Martin Pfiffner, which was a true revelation to me. Honestly, I think this is the smartest way to apply the VSM (in the corporate world) because it entangles the complexity of the theory…
Reconstructing a forgotten success engine: How Germany dominated the dye industry
Can we learn from past success in times of technological acceleration? If you zoom into the history of the German chemical dye industry between 1856 and 1914, you do not just see a handful of clever chemists and lucky patents. You see a machine. It is a dense web of feedback loops in which universities,…
Pattern Recognition
Parrots, Patterns, and the Politics of Novelty: Thinking with Machines in a World That Thinks Back Disclaimer: The paradox is seductive because it mirrors the very complexity it seeks to describe: On the one hand, those who are deep into complexity science celebrate pattern recognition as a way of sensing the morphing contours of situations…
VSM Collaboration Canvas
Designing Collaborative Systems Have you ever experienced that odd sense of déjà vu during cross-team meetings? The same misunderstandings, repeated clarifications, and “we thought you were doing that” moments? It’s not just communication. It’s the system. When two teams, departments, or even organizations try to collaborate, the friction isn’t always personal. More often, it’s structural.…
Viable System Model – Ant Colony Example
This is the fifth part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining it to clients). Disclaimer #1: As I am not an ant expert, I tried my best…
Viable System Model – Football Club Example
This is the fourth part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining it to clients). Part 4: A professional football club through the lens of the Viable System…
Viable System Model – Example Small Consulting Business
This is the third part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining the model to clients). Part 3: A small consulting business through the lens of the Viable…
Viable System Model – Person Example
This is the second part of my series of concise, activity-based explanations of the Viable System Model. These are designed not only to support learners but also to provide ideas for VSM coaches and consultants (especially, when it is about explaining it to clients). Part 2: An individual person through the lens of the Viable…
