Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Designing Systemic Change | The path of a regenerative practitioner with Ashley Scarborough | 001
Navigating the delicate balance between radical innovation and stability
In this episode, we sit down with Ashley Scarborough, a designer-turned-system-thinker, to explore her journey from interior architecture to the world of regenerative practices and systems change. Ashley shares how she transitioned from the corporate design world into tackling wicked problems - complex global challenges that cannot be solved with single solutions. We discuss the limitations of circular economy models, the realities of working in the regenerative field, and the delicate balance between radical innovation and financial stability. Ashley also reflects on defining her role in a field that is still emerging and the importance of thought leadership within organisations. This conversation offers an honest look into the challenges and possibilities of shaping a more regenerative future by creating your own path and collaborating with others.
Episode Highlights
Ashley’s career transition from interior design to system change
Understanding wicked problems and why they require a holistic approach
The limits of circular economy and why regeneration is a necessary step
The realities of working in an emerging field
Finding financial stability within current conditions while challenging the current system
ABOUT Ashley Scarborough
Ashley is a system change consultant, designer, and facilitator based in Berlin. Ashley combines systems thinking and design methodology to tackle complex systemic problems we are facing in the world, having gained expertise during the System Change Practitioner program with the School of System Change in 2022, and a Masters in Product Design from the Royal College of Art in 2018. She also founded How We Eat, an experiential learning initiative that uses food to explore regenerative principles and systems thinking with leaders. Ashley is driven by the power of systems thinking and design towards a future where humans and nature live in symbiosis.
LINKS to Ashley and her current work
Ashley's Recommendations on Books & Courses
BOOKS
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The patterning Instinct by Jeremy Lent
Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows
Systems One: An Introduction to Systems Thinking by Draper L. Kauffman
COURSES
Basecamp from the School of System Change
****
💌 Connect & Engage with us
Feel free to connect with me personally, your host Pia, on LinkedIn to follow and support each other’s work.
If you consider yourself an #impactjobseeker or aspiring #impactpreneur at the beginning of your journey, jump on my Newsletter “Impact Insights” where I regularly share tools and best practices from my work as a sustainability consultant and system change facilitator.
For daily insights “behind the scenes” and event updates, join the extended community on the @work.with.impact Instagram account.
Social Media Platforms
#SocialRegeneration #SystemsThinking #RegenerativeDesign #CircularEconomy #SystemChange #WickedProblems #SustainableFuture #DesignForChange #FinancialStability #ThoughtLeadership
Comments (0)
To leave or reply to comments, please download free Podbean or
No Comments
To leave or reply to comments,
please download free Podbean App.