Mapping 101

One of the most distinctive features of what we and our colleagues have developed over more than 35 years of studying the way we human beings coordinate action and construct enterprises is a practice of mapping coordination. In life, we encounter many different kinds of maps – street maps, geographic maps, engineering drawings, maps showing data flows, and so-called organization charts distinguishing roles and hierarchies of authority to act. Maps help competent actors survey the territories they will traverse and design effective paths and practices for moving in those worlds.

Our new maps – maps of the commitments, coordination, and cooperation found and missing in enterprises – show clearly that all of the action in enterprises comes from human beings speaking and listening to each other as they invent possibilities of action, cause those actions to occur, and assess the results of their conversations. This new class of maps makes it possible to observe a kind of waste that does not appear in any traditional organizational maps or financial reports: Coordination Waste. This formerly invisible waste constitutes far more than half of the waste that can be found in the operation of any size-able enterprise, of any type, in the world.

In this self-paced online course, we will revise the fundamentals of Language Action Theory proposed by Fernando Flores and Terry Winograd. Then we will introduce the practices of mapping coordination, and produce an experience of the dramatically new way of observing an enterprise at work. Expect roughly 40-60 hours of work including watching videos, selective reading, various observational and enterprise design exercises. We will invite thecourse participants to join a community of Ontological Design practitioners over Slack for peer discussions and support.

One-time fee: $179 USD. Lifetime access. Take the course at your own speed and connect with community of peers for support.