Systemic Transformation

Society is constantly changing around us. Most of the time, these changes happen gradually—step by step, at a pace we can follow and adapt to. But sometimes, something entirely different occurs: deep shifts that reconfigure the very logic of our systems. That’s when we experience transformation.

Transformation isn’t just about new technologies, behaviours, or regulations. It changes the playing field itself—how society fundamentally functions, what we perceive as possible, important, credible, or true. And these shifts rarely appear head-on. Instead, they emerge from the side—unexpected, complex, and difficult to interpret while they’re unfolding.

At RISE, we work with value-driven, design-led processes that enable transformation by creatively addressing societal challenges from a systems perspective. This means we actively include all parts of society—all elements of the system—in our work.

History reminds us of earlier societal shifts. The transition from agrarian to industrial society not only changed methods of production, but reshaped the entire structure of society. Digitalisation has so far mainly transformed how we communicate, work and consume. But the deeper changes—how we organise power, create value and make collective decisions—may have only just begun.

There are many signs suggesting that we are now living through such a time of profound change. It’s not only about climate and technology—it’s also about how we organise socially and politically, how we define value (and what we consider valuable), how we make decisions, exercise power, and understand our human role in an increasingly complex world.

Transformation is not limited to any one area—it cuts across sectors, disciplines and levels: from energy and economy to education, leadership and everyday life.

So how can individuals and organisations make sense of what’s happening? What is changing in the role of leadership? And what capabilities do we need to navigate this messy, complex and ever-shifting system landscape?

Our work draws on design and design research and includes expertise in creative innovation methods, artistic interventions, digital ethics, organisational transformation capabilities, and transformation methodologies. We see transformation not as something to be mapped out in advance, but as a movement—one we need to learn to read, understand, and act within.

In our work, we support people and organisations in developing the capacity to live with transformation. Through inclusive, co-creative and prototyping-based processes, we address the transformation of complex systems—such as sustainable urban development, healthcare transformation, and systemic change in public agencies and large organisations. We bring together actors from different parts of society and engage in change and learning processes guided by design, where we explore shared patterns and cross-sectoral synergies.

We’ve gathered a range of voices from our transformation work in the special podcast “Skiftenas Skifte” (Shifts of the Shift), which you can listen to here:

We’ve also compiled our methods, insights and projects in the guidebook “The Emerging Guide to Systemic Transformation”, which you can download by clicking the title.