Complex systems: Why do they need to evolve and how can evolution be supported (original) (raw)

We live in a world characterized by evolution—that is, by ongoing processes of development, formation, and growth in both natural and human-created systems. Biology tells us that complex, natural systems are not created all at once but must instead evolve over time. We are becoming increasingly aware that evolutionary processes are ubiquitous and critical for social, educational, and technological innovations as well. The driving forces behind the evolution of these systems is their use by communities of practice in solving real-world problems as well as the changing nature of the world, specifically as it relates to technology. The seeding, evolutionary growth, and reseeding model is a process description of how this happens. By integrating working and learning in communities of practice, we have created organizational memories that include mechanisms to capture and represent task specifications, work artifacts, and group communications. These memories facilitate organizational lea...