In this chapter I want to explore how an understanding of systemic change can offer strategies for action research facilitators, and for organisations that seek to embed action research into their decision-making structures. By tuning into systemic patterns and to the constellation of local interrelationships, we are able to spot small opportunities for action that may open up unimagined possibilities for larger change. Improvised strategies of this type are dependent firstly on opening multiple spaces for exploration and acting on opportunities as they emerge, and secondly on skilfully weaving them into a coherent narrative. This enables us to be strategic about our interventions in a way that will maximise their impact. In this chapter I want to make three strong assertions about how to work most effectively within systems. These are to:

• • explicitly adopt an improvisational approach to change

• • organise around the principle of parallel development

• • develop strategies for working with resonance to enable judgement about meanings across a system.

Improvisation

The social and organisational world that we live in is quite different to 20 years ago. Public services are no longer delivered by single government departments. Governance has transformed government, it involves the complex interrelationship of multiple agencies and multiple stakeholders and is characterised by extremely rapid change, in some cases almost permanent change. In order to work effectively on this terrain we need an approach in which ‘planning and anticipation give way to improvisation’ (Weick, 1998), one that develops iteratively and builds on what emerges. In this section I want to look at some principles of improvisation that can be used to support working with the sort of complexity described. I will draw heavily on theatre improvisation and in particular on the work of Keith Johnstone (1981).

Improvisation does not just happen. Ensemble does not just emerge. Conversation does not ‘automatically’ open up new spaces for action. Theatre improvisation teaches us important principles that need to underpin strategic emergence. I want to explore three in particular here:

• • accepting offers

• • seeding small interventions into opportunity spaces

• • re-incorporation.

Accepting offers

It can be helpful to envisage the inquiry process as a series of opening doors. Until we go through a door we do not know what is on the other side.