Systems diagramming: Experiences of inviting people to draw

Kevin Collins, Senior Lecturer at the Open University, explores the value of systems diagramming as a tool for thinking, learning, and communicating about complex issues. Through examples ranging from classroom activities on “drought” to historical cases like Darwin’s tree of life, he shows how diagrams help surface assumptions, emotions, and framings, making mental models visible and open to reflection or dialogue. Diagramming is framed as a material, cognitive, social, and epistemic practice that supports sense-making, co-creation, and boundary exploration, yet it also raises challenges of equity, cultural context, digital over-formalization, and misleading AI outputs. Ultimately, Collins argues that diagrams are not solutions in themselves but powerful devices for discussion, enabling people to explore differences, share perspectives, and collectively navigate complexity.