GAME OF LIFE
Complex systems teach us the importance of iteration – making frequent and small changes by observing the effects of small actions, rather than a “big bang” approach to change. Thinking about the initial conditions and the rules that will shape relationships will allow the “game of life” to become played in a more predictable, yet self-organising way.
The Game of Life was as computer simulation developed by John Conway based on work by John von Neumann who was studying ‘self-replication’ in the 1950’s. It allowed the status of a cell to grow or die depending on the status of its neighbouring cells. On every iteration (turn) in the “game”, a new generation is born from the old. He applied simple global rules that produced local effects. Changing the rules or the initial conditions changes the small interactions and the eventual outcome. This phenomenon is often referred to as ‘The Butterfly Effect‘.
Interestingly, the outcome is not predictable, but the initial conditions, or starting pattern, were a major factor in survivability. Although the rules were simple, the resulting behaviour of the cells created considerable complexity, producing unpredictable outcomes. Through a process of oscillations and movement, the ‘game of life’ proceeded, being driven only by local interactions. It was considered ti be self-organising. For more details, read Arthur Battram’s excellent explanation in his book ‘Navigating Complexity’ or download a copy of LifeLab and play it on your own smartphone or computer.
The lessons to be learned from this work are:
1. Create the right conditions at the start of an activity to support the types of interaction you want to see happen, and will deliver your desired outcome. For example, the values that will guide decisions and what happens when the interactions do not go as expected.
2. Allowing rules to be changed locally to keep the game going encourages creativity, and engagement locally. This helps stop the whole activity falling into chaos. This flexibility secures longer-term outcomes and support user engagement in decision-making.
3. Making frequent small changes to deal with small breakdowns in the expected flow of life can help to keep relationships healthy, positive and dynamic. It facilitates a solution focused mindset.
References
Navigating Complexity by ArthurBattram. Industrial Society 1998
