Service Design Drinks Toronto

Introduction to Systemic Design

Tue, May 19 · 5:30 PM EDT

Location not specified yet

Learn to see the system, not just the problem
​Complex challenges rarely live in one place; they span teams, touchpoints, and invisible connections.
​This session is a hands-on introduction to systemic design: an approach that combines systems thinking and design to help us better understand and work within complexity.

In this interactive, learning-by-doing session, you’ll explore how systems thinking and design come together to tackle complex organizational challenges. Instead of jumping straight to solutions, we’ll step back to see the bigger picture - uncovering relationships, identifying patterns, and finding leverage points where thoughtful design can create meaningful impact.
​You’ll work through a practical case, collaborate with others, and leave with new ways of thinking about problems that don’t have simple answers.

👉 To secure your spot, please register via Luma: https://luma.com/lqfccdiw
(Meetup RSVPs don’t guarantee a seat)

​What you’ll learn

• ​Core principles of systemic design (interconnectedness, leverage points, human-centered thinking)
• ​How to map systems and uncover underlying dynamics
• ​How to identify patterns and opportunities for intervention
• ​How to move from complexity → clarity → action

​Who this is for

• ​Designers who are tired of surface-level problem solving
• ​People who jump to solutions (you know who you are)
• ​Anyone curious about how ideas actually come together
• ​Professionals who want to nerd out, experiment, and learn by doing

​
​Format
​This is a hands-on workshop, not a lecture. Come ready to participate, think visually, and collaborate with others.

We’ll have pizza and pop — come hungry :)
​
Agenda
​5:30 – 6:00 pm | Arrival + settle in
​6:00 – 7:30 pm | Workshop session
​7:30 pm onwards | Stay back and connect

Location
​Career Centre Lounge (Room 287), Rotman School of Management
​105 St. George Street, Toronto

​In collaboration with Rotman’s Business Design Initiative (BDI)
​Led by Emma Aiken-Klar, with Service Design Drinks Toronto (Shivika Sood), this session explores systemic design in a hands-on, practical way.

Service Design Drinks Toronto is a community of practice - a space to learn, experiment, and connect through service design in an open, accessible way.