The Ecosystem Project

The Ecosystem Project offers a groundbreaking approach to navigating complexity and making real, lasting change in human systems.
 
Too often, leaders face challenges that are overwhelming in scope-interconnected problems that defy simple fixes. The default is to focus on what can be controlled: launching initiatives, tweaking processes, or applying "best practices." But in complex ecosystems, these problem-to-solution moves often stall, backfire, or quietly erode the very purpose they aim to serve.
 
Drawing on decades of experience in design, strategy, and organizational change, Rob Brodnick and Karyn Zuidinga introduce a practical, flexible method for illuminating and transforming human ecosystems. Rather than forcing change through top-down plans, this method engages multiple perspectives to make the invisible visible-revealing patterns, relationships, and leverage points that are otherwise overlooked.
 
Through a series of accessible canvases and guided conversations, The Ecosystem Project equips leaders, teams, and communities to:
See the system as it truly is-not just as it appears from one vantage point.
Work across four orders of complexity: transactional, functional, strategic, and ecosystemic.
Engage diverse stakeholders in sensemaking and action.
Prepare for collective action across the ecosystem.
Sustain momentum in times of uncertainty through adaptation.
Move toward ecosystem stewardship to benefit everyone engaged.
 
With vivid examples and a step-by-step process, The Ecosystem Project is both a field guide and a catalyst. Whether you are a CEO, community leader, or change agent, it will help you navigate the messy and difficult work of transformation-and move your ecosystem toward a better fit for purpose.
 
More about the authors...
 
Rob Brodnick, Ph.D.
Rob has led learning organizations across diverse industries for much of his career. Over three decades as a university administrator, he served three institutions, also teaching organizational leadership, innovation, and change at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. He has extensive experience facilitating activities for leadership teams, boards, and organizations of all sizes, from small groups to large-scale events. Rob also served as Executive Leader for the Association for Managers of Innovation and as a Board Director for several organizations. As founder of Sierra Learning Solutions, he actively consults, deploying tools and solutions to support organizational, individual, and systemic change. His work on The Ecosystem Project culminated in a book exploring transformative tools for ecosystems. Rob holds a Ph.D. in Psychoeducational Processes from Temple University.
 
Karyn Zuidinga
Karyn has spent her career at the intersection of research, design, and strategic innovation, equipping her with a deep understanding of how systems shape outcomes. As a seasoned UX researcher and innovation strategist, she has helped organizations across industries navigate complexity, uncover hidden patterns, and design for meaningful change. She founded one of Vancouver's first UX consultancies, working with global brands to translate human insights into actionable strategies. With a deep commitment to the people within systems, Karyn uses research and design as tools to reveal underlying dynamics, identify opportunities, and create pathways for more effective and sustainable change.