Feb 21, 2024
Part 2: COS & Systems Theory
Part 2: COS & Systems Theory
Part 2: COS & Systems Theory
Thomas Fraile - Creative Art Director & Designer
Understanding Systems Theory
Systems Theory is a transdisciplinary study focused on understanding systems, whether they are natural or artificial, as cohesive groups of interrelated and interdependent components. This theory underscores the idea that complex entities are more than just aggregations of their parts, by recognising the emergent behaviour and synergy that arise from their internal structure, roles, functions, and interactions within a broader context.
While Systems Theory is broad and diverse, our focus within the Colour Onion System is on its fundamental principles, particularly how different elements within a design system interact and collectively shape its overall dynamic. This aligns with C.O.S’s layered and interconnected approach to design.
What is a System?
At its core, a system is a collection of interconnected parts working together towards a common goal. This concept is universal, spanning across various fields and disciplines. In a system, we typically identify three fundamental components:
Elements: These are the individual parts or components of a system.
Connections: These are the relationships and interactions between the elements.
Purpose: This is the reason or objective behind the system's existence.
Applying Systems Theory to COS
In the context of the Colour Onion System:
Elements in C.O.S: Key components include colours, design styles, ratios, the medium (like digital screens or print materials), and stakeholders (such as designers, clients, and end-users).
Connections in C.O.S: This aspect focuses on how the elements interact with each other and how these interactions are influenced by the medium and tailored to meet stakeholders' needs.
Purpose of C.O.S: The ultimate goal is to empower designers with tools to create visually engaging and effective designs, considering the impact of various elements and stakeholders' input.
The Universal Systems Model
Everything around us can be broken down using the Universal Systems Model (USM), which presents a structured method to analyse and understand any system, including design systems like C.O.S.
Goal: Its purpose is to establish the direction or objective guiding the system's trajectory.
Input: The resources, information, or materials put into the system.
Process: The transformative phase where inputs undergo change.
Output: The final product, result, or outcome of the system.
Feedback Loop: The mechanism for receiving and implementing feedback to improve or adjust the system.
Applying the Universal Systems Model to the Colour Onion System
When applied to C.O.S:
Goal: Creating visually appealing and effective designs.
Input: Elements like colours, design preferences, and client requirements.
Process: Applying C.O.S methodologies such as style application, ratio adjustments, and considering stakeholders' feedback.
Output: The final design, influenced by initial colour choices and processed through various methodologies.
Feedback Loop: Analysis and review of the design by stakeholders, leading to refinements or iterations of the design process.
Integrating Systems Thinking with the Colour Onion System
The Colour Onion System is more than a design tool; it's a gateway to systems thinking for designers. This approach, which goes beyond traditional design principles, equips designers with a holistic perspective, aligning them with the broader concepts of systems thinking. C.O.S not only enhances design skills but also encourages designers to think more expansively, applying their expertise in various contexts beyond the design world. Let's delve into how C.O.S integrates key systems thinking concepts into the design process:
Boundaries:
In Systems Thinking: Boundaries in systems define their limits, determining what is included or excluded, thereby shaping the scope and interactions.
In C.O.S: In the Colour Onion System (C.O.S), the idea of boundaries encompasses the entire scope of a design project. This includes not only the obvious elements like colour and medium, but also the finer details such as text, imagery, and the use of space. Significantly, C.O.S places emphasis on the environmental context and its impact on design perception. For instance, the way a design interacts with its surrounding space can either amplify or diminish its effectiveness. In event spaces, this insight is crucial as designers are encouraged to think about how their work harmoniously blends with the physical setting, creating an immersive brand experience. C.O.S's approach to boundaries ensures that design considerations extend beyond the immediate frame, resonating effectively within the larger context they are part of.
Emergent Properties:
In Systems Thinking: Emergent properties are outcomes that arise from complex system interactions, which are unexpected and not predictable from individual components alone.
In C.O.S: Within C.O.S, emergent properties might be novel colour harmonies or design aesthetics that occur when specific colours, styles, and ratios interact in unforeseen ways. This can also include serendipitous discoveries or creative insights that lead to innovative design solutions.
Adaptability:
In Systems Thinking: Adaptability refers to a system's ability to change or evolve in response to new information, challenges, or environments.
In C.O.S: C.O.S's adaptability is seen in its capacity to integrate new colour theories, respond to changing design trends, or tailor to unique client requirements, ensuring its ongoing relevance and effectiveness.
Holism:
In Systems Thinking: Holism in systems thinking emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It focuses on the interactions and relationships between system components.
In C.O.S: C.O.S exemplifies holism by illustrating how individual colours, styles, and ratios collectively create a more impactful and cohesive design than each element could achieve independently.
Stakeholder Feedback:
In Systems Thinking: Stakeholder feedback in systems thinking involves input from all parties influencing or affected by the system.
In C.O.S: Feedback from designers, clients, and end-users is integral to C.O.S. It influences refinements and adaptations in the design process, ensuring the output resonates with its intended audience.
Delay:
In Systems Thinking: Delay refers to the time lag between actions within a system and their observable effects or feedback.
In C.O.S: The delay in C.O.S might be seen in the time taken for a design to be created, reviewed, and revised based on feedback, impacting iterative design processes.
Leverage Points:
In Systems Thinking: Leverage points are places within a system where small changes can produce significant impacts.
In C.O.S: Identifying leverage points, like adjusting a specific colour ratio, can significantly influence the overall design's effectiveness and appeal.
Historical Context:
In Systems Thinking: This involves understanding a system in the context of its historical evolution and past trends.
In C.O.S: The historical context of colour theory and design practices can inform C.O.S, allowing it to build upon past knowledge while innovating for the future.
Understanding Systems Theory
Systems Theory is a transdisciplinary study focused on understanding systems, whether they are natural or artificial, as cohesive groups of interrelated and interdependent components. This theory underscores the idea that complex entities are more than just aggregations of their parts, by recognising the emergent behaviour and synergy that arise from their internal structure, roles, functions, and interactions within a broader context.
While Systems Theory is broad and diverse, our focus within the Colour Onion System is on its fundamental principles, particularly how different elements within a design system interact and collectively shape its overall dynamic. This aligns with C.O.S’s layered and interconnected approach to design.
What is a System?
At its core, a system is a collection of interconnected parts working together towards a common goal. This concept is universal, spanning across various fields and disciplines. In a system, we typically identify three fundamental components:
Elements: These are the individual parts or components of a system.
Connections: These are the relationships and interactions between the elements.
Purpose: This is the reason or objective behind the system's existence.
Applying Systems Theory to COS
In the context of the Colour Onion System:
Elements in C.O.S: Key components include colours, design styles, ratios, the medium (like digital screens or print materials), and stakeholders (such as designers, clients, and end-users).
Connections in C.O.S: This aspect focuses on how the elements interact with each other and how these interactions are influenced by the medium and tailored to meet stakeholders' needs.
Purpose of C.O.S: The ultimate goal is to empower designers with tools to create visually engaging and effective designs, considering the impact of various elements and stakeholders' input.
The Universal Systems Model
Everything around us can be broken down using the Universal Systems Model (USM), which presents a structured method to analyse and understand any system, including design systems like C.O.S.
Goal: Its purpose is to establish the direction or objective guiding the system's trajectory.
Input: The resources, information, or materials put into the system.
Process: The transformative phase where inputs undergo change.
Output: The final product, result, or outcome of the system.
Feedback Loop: The mechanism for receiving and implementing feedback to improve or adjust the system.
Applying the Universal Systems Model to the Colour Onion System
When applied to C.O.S:
Goal: Creating visually appealing and effective designs.
Input: Elements like colours, design preferences, and client requirements.
Process: Applying C.O.S methodologies such as style application, ratio adjustments, and considering stakeholders' feedback.
Output: The final design, influenced by initial colour choices and processed through various methodologies.
Feedback Loop: Analysis and review of the design by stakeholders, leading to refinements or iterations of the design process.
Integrating Systems Thinking with the Colour Onion System
The Colour Onion System is more than a design tool; it's a gateway to systems thinking for designers. This approach, which goes beyond traditional design principles, equips designers with a holistic perspective, aligning them with the broader concepts of systems thinking. C.O.S not only enhances design skills but also encourages designers to think more expansively, applying their expertise in various contexts beyond the design world. Let's delve into how C.O.S integrates key systems thinking concepts into the design process:
Boundaries:
In Systems Thinking: Boundaries in systems define their limits, determining what is included or excluded, thereby shaping the scope and interactions.
In C.O.S: In the Colour Onion System (C.O.S), the idea of boundaries encompasses the entire scope of a design project. This includes not only the obvious elements like colour and medium, but also the finer details such as text, imagery, and the use of space. Significantly, C.O.S places emphasis on the environmental context and its impact on design perception. For instance, the way a design interacts with its surrounding space can either amplify or diminish its effectiveness. In event spaces, this insight is crucial as designers are encouraged to think about how their work harmoniously blends with the physical setting, creating an immersive brand experience. C.O.S's approach to boundaries ensures that design considerations extend beyond the immediate frame, resonating effectively within the larger context they are part of.
Emergent Properties:
In Systems Thinking: Emergent properties are outcomes that arise from complex system interactions, which are unexpected and not predictable from individual components alone.
In C.O.S: Within C.O.S, emergent properties might be novel colour harmonies or design aesthetics that occur when specific colours, styles, and ratios interact in unforeseen ways. This can also include serendipitous discoveries or creative insights that lead to innovative design solutions.
Adaptability:
In Systems Thinking: Adaptability refers to a system's ability to change or evolve in response to new information, challenges, or environments.
In C.O.S: C.O.S's adaptability is seen in its capacity to integrate new colour theories, respond to changing design trends, or tailor to unique client requirements, ensuring its ongoing relevance and effectiveness.
Holism:
In Systems Thinking: Holism in systems thinking emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It focuses on the interactions and relationships between system components.
In C.O.S: C.O.S exemplifies holism by illustrating how individual colours, styles, and ratios collectively create a more impactful and cohesive design than each element could achieve independently.
Stakeholder Feedback:
In Systems Thinking: Stakeholder feedback in systems thinking involves input from all parties influencing or affected by the system.
In C.O.S: Feedback from designers, clients, and end-users is integral to C.O.S. It influences refinements and adaptations in the design process, ensuring the output resonates with its intended audience.
Delay:
In Systems Thinking: Delay refers to the time lag between actions within a system and their observable effects or feedback.
In C.O.S: The delay in C.O.S might be seen in the time taken for a design to be created, reviewed, and revised based on feedback, impacting iterative design processes.
Leverage Points:
In Systems Thinking: Leverage points are places within a system where small changes can produce significant impacts.
In C.O.S: Identifying leverage points, like adjusting a specific colour ratio, can significantly influence the overall design's effectiveness and appeal.
Historical Context:
In Systems Thinking: This involves understanding a system in the context of its historical evolution and past trends.
In C.O.S: The historical context of colour theory and design practices can inform C.O.S, allowing it to build upon past knowledge while innovating for the future.
Understanding Systems Theory
Systems Theory is a transdisciplinary study focused on understanding systems, whether they are natural or artificial, as cohesive groups of interrelated and interdependent components. This theory underscores the idea that complex entities are more than just aggregations of their parts, by recognising the emergent behaviour and synergy that arise from their internal structure, roles, functions, and interactions within a broader context.
While Systems Theory is broad and diverse, our focus within the Colour Onion System is on its fundamental principles, particularly how different elements within a design system interact and collectively shape its overall dynamic. This aligns with C.O.S’s layered and interconnected approach to design.
What is a System?
At its core, a system is a collection of interconnected parts working together towards a common goal. This concept is universal, spanning across various fields and disciplines. In a system, we typically identify three fundamental components:
Elements: These are the individual parts or components of a system.
Connections: These are the relationships and interactions between the elements.
Purpose: This is the reason or objective behind the system's existence.
Applying Systems Theory to COS
In the context of the Colour Onion System:
Elements in C.O.S: Key components include colours, design styles, ratios, the medium (like digital screens or print materials), and stakeholders (such as designers, clients, and end-users).
Connections in C.O.S: This aspect focuses on how the elements interact with each other and how these interactions are influenced by the medium and tailored to meet stakeholders' needs.
Purpose of C.O.S: The ultimate goal is to empower designers with tools to create visually engaging and effective designs, considering the impact of various elements and stakeholders' input.
The Universal Systems Model
Everything around us can be broken down using the Universal Systems Model (USM), which presents a structured method to analyse and understand any system, including design systems like C.O.S.
Goal: Its purpose is to establish the direction or objective guiding the system's trajectory.
Input: The resources, information, or materials put into the system.
Process: The transformative phase where inputs undergo change.
Output: The final product, result, or outcome of the system.
Feedback Loop: The mechanism for receiving and implementing feedback to improve or adjust the system.
Applying the Universal Systems Model to the Colour Onion System
When applied to C.O.S:
Goal: Creating visually appealing and effective designs.
Input: Elements like colours, design preferences, and client requirements.
Process: Applying C.O.S methodologies such as style application, ratio adjustments, and considering stakeholders' feedback.
Output: The final design, influenced by initial colour choices and processed through various methodologies.
Feedback Loop: Analysis and review of the design by stakeholders, leading to refinements or iterations of the design process.
Integrating Systems Thinking with the Colour Onion System
The Colour Onion System is more than a design tool; it's a gateway to systems thinking for designers. This approach, which goes beyond traditional design principles, equips designers with a holistic perspective, aligning them with the broader concepts of systems thinking. C.O.S not only enhances design skills but also encourages designers to think more expansively, applying their expertise in various contexts beyond the design world. Let's delve into how C.O.S integrates key systems thinking concepts into the design process:
Boundaries:
In Systems Thinking: Boundaries in systems define their limits, determining what is included or excluded, thereby shaping the scope and interactions.
In C.O.S: In the Colour Onion System (C.O.S), the idea of boundaries encompasses the entire scope of a design project. This includes not only the obvious elements like colour and medium, but also the finer details such as text, imagery, and the use of space. Significantly, C.O.S places emphasis on the environmental context and its impact on design perception. For instance, the way a design interacts with its surrounding space can either amplify or diminish its effectiveness. In event spaces, this insight is crucial as designers are encouraged to think about how their work harmoniously blends with the physical setting, creating an immersive brand experience. C.O.S's approach to boundaries ensures that design considerations extend beyond the immediate frame, resonating effectively within the larger context they are part of.
Emergent Properties:
In Systems Thinking: Emergent properties are outcomes that arise from complex system interactions, which are unexpected and not predictable from individual components alone.
In C.O.S: Within C.O.S, emergent properties might be novel colour harmonies or design aesthetics that occur when specific colours, styles, and ratios interact in unforeseen ways. This can also include serendipitous discoveries or creative insights that lead to innovative design solutions.
Adaptability:
In Systems Thinking: Adaptability refers to a system's ability to change or evolve in response to new information, challenges, or environments.
In C.O.S: C.O.S's adaptability is seen in its capacity to integrate new colour theories, respond to changing design trends, or tailor to unique client requirements, ensuring its ongoing relevance and effectiveness.
Holism:
In Systems Thinking: Holism in systems thinking emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It focuses on the interactions and relationships between system components.
In C.O.S: C.O.S exemplifies holism by illustrating how individual colours, styles, and ratios collectively create a more impactful and cohesive design than each element could achieve independently.
Stakeholder Feedback:
In Systems Thinking: Stakeholder feedback in systems thinking involves input from all parties influencing or affected by the system.
In C.O.S: Feedback from designers, clients, and end-users is integral to C.O.S. It influences refinements and adaptations in the design process, ensuring the output resonates with its intended audience.
Delay:
In Systems Thinking: Delay refers to the time lag between actions within a system and their observable effects or feedback.
In C.O.S: The delay in C.O.S might be seen in the time taken for a design to be created, reviewed, and revised based on feedback, impacting iterative design processes.
Leverage Points:
In Systems Thinking: Leverage points are places within a system where small changes can produce significant impacts.
In C.O.S: Identifying leverage points, like adjusting a specific colour ratio, can significantly influence the overall design's effectiveness and appeal.
Historical Context:
In Systems Thinking: This involves understanding a system in the context of its historical evolution and past trends.
In C.O.S: The historical context of colour theory and design practices can inform C.O.S, allowing it to build upon past knowledge while innovating for the future.
In our next part, we will explore the practical components and processes within the Colour Onion System, providing a deeper understanding of how it operates and is applied.
In our next part, we will explore the practical components and processes within the Colour Onion System, providing a deeper understanding of how it operates and is applied.
In our next part, we will explore the practical components and processes within the Colour Onion System, providing a deeper understanding of how it operates and is applied.