Key Takeaways on Working in Complex Systems from Donna Read and Frank Page

Donna Read and Frank Page of Managing Systems for Wellness share their key takeaways from the recent Breakfast Seminar #68, "Working in Complex Systems: The Rubber Value Chain in Indonesia." In this video, they introduce a model that has been developed by Human Systems Dynamics based on the science of complexity, and show how that model can be used for the international development challenge of strengthening a rubber value chain in Indonesia. 

Bio: Donna Read

Donna Read is a certified Human Systems Dynamics practitioner and international development management professional. She has worked with development projects for over 30 years both in the field and in home office. Read has applied human systems dynamics to her organizational consulting work focused on building strong teams relationships. She believes that complex, adaptive systems share a few fundamental characteristics that enable them to function in chaotic, complex, nonlinear, changing environments. Read provides an introduction to the basic principles of human systems dynamics using a complex, international development project as a vehicle for understanding this model.

Bio: Frank Page

Frank Page has 25 years international development experience in Africa and Asia, consulting with and managing community based development projects. He specializes in strategic planning, project planning, community development, and organizational development. He consulted for over 17 years in Indonesia where his clients included capacity building, community development, environmental protection, and civil society NGOs/projects. Page was the Urban Program Manager for CARE International Indonesia, where he managed child nutrition, TB prevention, and avian influenza prevention projects. His last work in Indonesia was with a Reducing Emissions from Forest Degradation and Destruction (REDD) pilot project. His role there was to develop the facilitation and consulting skills of the project’s community engagement team, manage a rubber value chain development activity, and oversee the development of farmer field schools. Page has master degrees in International Agricultural Development and Organizational Development.