Key words
To clarify the concepts associated with Societal Thinking by explaining the key words that are frequently used and have a different or nuanced meaning.
Ability noun /əˈbɪlɪti/ the clarity, knowledge, capacity and alignment needed to come together and solve
Abundance noun /əˈbʌn.dəns/ the pivotal resources that are ample in quantity
Access noun /ˈæk.ses/ when barriers (social, economic, cultural) to entry for a solution or service are low
Adoption noun /əˈdɒp.ʃən/ when an idea, service or solution has been accepted and / or is used by most of the intended users
Affordance noun /əˈfɔː.dəns/ a measure of people's ability to actually make use of a solution or service, based on societal factors
Agency noun /ˈeɪ.dʒən.si/ when individuals have the freedom and power to make decisions towards a meaningful life
Aperture noun /ˈæp.ə.tʃər/ openings, or opportunities, that can be created or leveraged to induce change
Asset noun /ˈæs.et/ a resource that is valuable and can be used repeatedly by different actors to solve
Blocks noun /ˈblɒks/ open and modular units of value that can be leveraged and combined to solve problems across contexts
Blueprint noun /ˈbluː.prɪnt/ a plan of action to align the intents and aspirations of actors across society
Capabilities noun /ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlətiːz/ the necessary skills for solving a problem at scale, such as network-building, aligning incentives, co-creation
Chasms noun /ˈkæz.əmz/ barriers, such as knowledge, reimagination and self-efficacy, faced by change leaders
Choice noun /tʃɔɪs/ the ability of an individual to decide between multiple pathways towards a goal or destination
Co-creation noun /ˌkəʊ.kriˈeɪ.ʃən/ when various actors across the society create something new together
Context noun /ˈkɒn.tekst/ the unique situation within which something exists or happens
Dignity noun /ˈdɪɡ.nə.ti/ when all individuals are perceived to have inherent worth and treated fairly
Diversity noun /daɪˈvɜː.sə.ti/ a range of different things – from problems and contexts to actors and solutions
Do verb /də/ /du/ /duː/ solving by taking action first and then reassessing, learning and iterating
Ecosystem noun /ˈiː.kəʊˌsɪs.təm/ an interconnected community of diverse actors across society who leverage shared resources towards a goal
Environment noun /ɪnˈvaɪ.rə.mənt/ the conditions in which systems, individuals and organisations interact
Exponential noun /ˌek.spəˈnen.ʃəl/ when one change leads to more and rapid changes
Extensible adjective /ɪkˈstensɪbl/ the quality of being adaptable and expandable to support new features or needs
Equilibrium noun /ˌek.wɪˈlɪb.ri.əm/ /ˌiː.kwɪˈlɪb.ri.əm/ a stable state, preferably desirable, comprised of policies, infrastructure, resources and habits
Governance noun /ˈɡʌv.ən.əns/ harmonising how multiple actors work towards a shared goal
Infrastructure noun /ˈɪn.frəˌstrʌk.tʃər/ a spine of shared resources, such as technology, data and narratives, that supports solving
Interaction noun /ˌɪn.təˈræk.ʃən/ a give and take of value, such as information, goods and / or services
Interoperable noun /ˌɪn.tərˈɒp.ər.ə.bəl/ the ability of systems to seamlessly communicate and work together
Journey noun /ˈdʒɜː.ni/ the pathway towards inducing societal change
Listen verb /ˈlɪs.ən/ receiving signals and feedback from users to learn from and act with
Mindsets noun /ˈmaɪnd.sets/ beliefs and attitudes that guide the way an actor approaches problem solving
Minimal adjective /ˈmɪn.ɪ.məl/ making the small essentials instead of something big, complex and complete
Modal adjective /ˈməʊ.dəl/ the most convenient way by which the community can interact with the system
Model noun /ˈmɒd.əl/ a structure / scaffolding that solvers can apply to induce societal change
Network noun /ˈnet.wɜːk/ an expanding web of actors interacting to exchange value
Observability noun /əbˌzɜː.vəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/ design that ensures data around behaviours of the system are available to be seen and used as insights
Open adjective /ˈəʊ.pən/ unrestricted access to resources that can be used and repurposed by many
Orchestrate verb /ˈɔː.kɪ.streɪt/ connecting the dots between and aligning multiple actors to solve a problem
Platform noun /ˈplæt.fɔːm/ a tech-enabled approach to solving, leveraging shared capabilities to nurture a community of solvers
Progress noun /ˈprəʊ.ɡres/ a measure of movement along the chosen path towards the desired destination
Public Goods noun /ˌpʌb.lɪk ˈɡʊdz/ a good that one cannot exclude from, and for which use by someone does not reduce the availability for others
Reimagine verb /ˌriː.ɪˈmædʒ.ɪn/ envision new possibilities towards a better future for all
Scale noun /skeɪl/ the size or level of something, especially when this is large
Sense verb /sens/ ability of solvers and users to see and make decisions based on data
Societal noun /səˈsaɪ.ə.təl/ relating to interconnections within and between society's actors and their institutions
Speed noun /spiːd/ the rate at which someone moves or something happens
Standard noun /ˈstæn.dəd/ when a solution reaches 30-60% of its intended users and is validated to work at scale
Sustain noun /səˈsteɪn/ allow something to continue for a period of time
Unbundle verb /ˌʌnˈbʌndl/ breaking down a solution into smaller components that are usable independently and together across contexts
Unified noun /ˈjuː.nɪ.faɪd/ ability to design solutions that work in context as well as enable co-creation towards a shared goal
Voice noun /vɔɪs/ communication or expression by and in the language of the community
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