Systems Oriented Design
— The designerly way to work with systems
Powered by the Oslo School of Architecture and Design
Systemic design association
A proud affiliate of the Systemic Design Association
Systemic Design Association is the central hub for everybody interested in the richness of approaches when it comes to relating systems thinking and design, and systems-oriented design is one of these approaches. The SDA supports the annual Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD) symposium.
ABOUT GIGAMAPPING
Gigamapping is part of the Systems Oriented Design framework
The term gigamapping was introduced in 2009 by Birger Sevaldson in the context of the 2009 SOD design studio at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. In that studio, the designerly mapping techniques used before, already from 2006 and onward, were developed to a new level of complexity.
SOD Foundations
Design thinking and design practice are potentially very powerful approaches to deal with super complexity
The world is rapidly changing, and the need to stay ahead of changes increases the complexity of the design process. Systems oriented design addresses these problems by developing systems thinking in design practice with concepts, techniques and methods developed by and for designers. Systems oriented design helps designers become better at dealing with complex problems. Complex problems are described as problem fields, networks of problems, wicked problems and problematiques.
SOD BOOK
Designing Complexity: The Methodology and Practice of Systems Oriented Design
by Birger Sevaldson
This book changes the way you think about designing. Instead of simplifying, embrace richness. Instead of controlling, you learn to live with uncertainty. SOD is a living and adaptable methodology. Though it is based on design thinking and design methodology, it is easily adapted and applied by anybody who is working with complex change processes.
— Newsblog
Reimagining the economy with design!
When: Thursday 26 February 2026, 16:00–19:00 (CET)Where: A1 Room, AHO, Maridalsveien 29, OsloHosts: SDA Norway, Rethinking Economics Norge, Attac...
What is SOD Animation
We have just published a new animation that explains Systems Oriented Design (SOD) to a broad audience. Patr (Bing) Leelarasamee created the video...
Design Bar at ArkDes
Design Bar: Systems and Service Design Systems-oriented design is gaining increased traction in the Nordics, and on November 11, Andreas Wettre...
Systemic innovation
Written by Hanne-Cecilie Bjørka <hb@doga.no> published on the D-Box website, autumn 2025. Translated to English by Birger Sevaldson.The...
Modningsagenter (Agents of Ripening)
En executive masteroppgave i Systemorientert Designved Arkitektur- og Designhøyskolen i Oslo, Januar 2026Utvikling av lokal dømmekraft som førende i...
Exhibition – Our Fjord, Our Future?
After seven weeks of immersive work, three international teams from AHO’s Master course in Systems Oriented Design invite you to their final...
PhD thesis: FACILITATING REGENERATION
Facilitating regeneration through methodological pluralism A systemic design journey across mountain communitiesHaley Fitzpatrick 2025Oslo School of...
Student Project Spotlight · Information Integrity
As part of the Introduction to SOD course at AHO in 2025, one team team zoomed in on the curly topic of information integrity in Armenia, where...
Student Project Spotlight · Critical Minerals mining
As part of the Introduction to SOD course at AHO in 2025, one team team zoomed in on critical minerals mining in Chile, where geopolitics, media...
Designing for Governance in Complexity: ISOD 2025 x UNDP GPCG
For the 2025 rendition of the seven week compulsory Introduction to Systems Oriented Design (ISOD), 60 third year design students tackled two...
Systems Oriented Innovation
How can complex challenges and entanglements in the public sector be solved? The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) and BI Norwegian...
Master Thesis: Beyond Labels
Beyond Labels: Towards a New Paradigm of Mental Healthcare Systems Master's Thesis, diploma with honours. Eric Michael Molumby Oslo School of...
New book: Systemic Service Design
The new book, "Systemic Service Design", edited by Mari Suoheimo, Peter Jones, Sheng-Hung Lee and Birger Sevaldson, is out. Systemic Service...
Sustainable Transportation system
Orchestrating for a sustainable logistics and transport systemTorunn Degenes Master's thesis, Executive Master's in Systems Oriented Design Oslo...
Mediation of research
H-SEIF: Human Systems Engineering Innovation Framework Research mediation and popularisation are highly wanted and supported by the Norwegian...
Rachel Lilley interviewing Jonathan Romm and Andreas Wettre
In this video, Dr Rachel Lilley is interviewing Professor Jonathan Romm and Executive Masters Chair Andreas Wettre. They are talking about the...
RSD13 Oslo Keynotes
The RSD13 symposium had both an online part and an onsite part at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. We had some great keynotes spurring...
Silent Change
Silent Change: Regenerative urbanism at the neighbourhood scale - a living lab approach Franziska GläserExecutive Master of Systems Oriented...


















