Founders of Human Systems Dynamics

Glenda Eoyang completed her PhD thesis, “Conditions for Self-Organizing in Human Systems”, with The Union Institute and University, Vermont. During 6 years, Glenda’s research dives deep into the complexity sciences. She gathers insights from many interdisciplinary fields, as all as from her practice. Her work generated a new way to see, understand, and influence change in human systems. And, since it didn’t fit into existing academic containers, a new field has emerged to balance theory and practice - the Human Systems Dynamics.

Finding a Fit with the Future.

Glenda realizes complexity is no longer a surprise: many people are talking about it, but few are able to offer solutions. She decides to launch the Human System Dynamics Institute to be a source of learning and research over time. 

Glenda and Royce and reflect on the question: how their own patterns, as well as those of the HSD Institute, can become fit to be true and useful in the future?

From this reflection emerges the HSD Simple Rules. They establish the HSD Institute's structures for decision making, accountability, communications, and governance, using the Simple Rules as the foundation. 

The HSD Institute is opened in Circle Pines, MN, USA. It has since certified more than 900 HSD professionals around the world.

Through the HSD Institute, Glenda and Royce work with people locally and globally to address issues ranging across a number of fields, including healthcare, education, philanthropy, manufacturing, government, poverty, and climate change.

The first certification is a ten-day, face-to-face training program to introduce principles of HSD, integrated into the practice of the course attendees.

Glenda and Royce realize HSD could be a powerful force for good in the world, but both the HSD theory and practice introduce differences in language and application that are challenging for people.

So, they decided to write books and run monthly Live Virtual Workshops to get the ideas out there.

First, the Teaching Associate role was tasked to be in the room for each of the ten days of classroom work. Teaching Associates contributed to conversations, supported individuals as they learn the new concepts and work to integrate them into their own work- and homelife.

HSD Certification goes online, starting with a hybrid program of 5 days of face-to-face instruction, followed by four months of online reading, application, and small-group learning.

It was at this point that the Teaching Associates were named as Praxis Partners, and their roles expanded to provide greater support in the online learning time. Just prior to the beginning of the Pandemic, they experimented with programs that were all online, with 5 days of online instruction and conversation, followed by the 4 months of online reading, application, and small-group learning.

Glenda and Royce begin offering Adaptive Action Labs. These Labs are shorter, less intensive dives into the field of HSD, using HSD's foundational principles to focus on particular topics of application. Adaptive Action Labs offered over time include: Intro to HSD; HSD Coaching and Consulting; Use of HSD to create a useful personal/professional Narrative; and HSD Leadership, Teaching and Learning, and Generative Engagement. 

In about 2019, Glenda and Royce host a process of foresight to identify possibilities and direction for the HSD Institute. By engaging with colleagues, and Associates around they globe, they focus on the question:  What is the role of HSD in the world in the year 2051? As a result of that work, the current Vision and Simple Rules emerge.

HSD Services is created from the HSD Institute to support the free access to the HSD Body of Knowledge, as well as further development of the on-line community channels, as Glenda and Royce step back from global leadership of the Institute. They join HSD Associates and others as members of the greater community of HSD professional pactitioners.

Launch of the HSD Global Community - a global community of the HSD professionals to help develop and expand the HDS field across industry sectors, communities and research institutions worldwide.