Governance networks that take a systemic innovation approach and incorporate an understanding of complex adaptive systems are being recommended for addressing wicked problems (Kania and Kramer, 2011; Davies et al., 2012). While it is recognised that tools can assist politicians and public administrators to metagovern governance networks (Sørensen and Torfing, 2009, p. 247), there is little research on complexity tools that could be used by metagovernors (Tait and Richardson, 2011, p. v).
This Paper will address this identified gap by describing how a complexity-informed diagnostic tool can be used by politicians and public administrators to metagovern governance networks that are addressing wicked problems. This tool was developed during a research project with the City of Onkaparinga in South Australia (Zivkovic, 2014) and has since been turned into computer software.
The diagnostic tool centres on nine focus areas and thirty-six associated initiative characteristics for creating systemic change. Five of these focus areas and their associated initiative characteristics are informed by complex systems leadership theories and aim to increase the coherence and build the adaptive capacity of self-organising governance networks. The remaining four focus areas and their associated initiative characteristics support public administrators and politicians to metagovern: there are two focus areas that support public administrators and two that support politicians.
In order for governments to address their needs when working with self-organising governance networks, they need to have the ability to balance the unplanned exploration of solutions with the network and the planned exploitation of knowledge, ideas and innovations that emerge from network-led activities (Duit and Galaz, 2008, p. 319; Moobela, 2005, p. 35). Given this requirement, the tools four metagovernance focus areas concentrate on enabling public administrations and elected governments to balance unplanned exploration and planned exploitation.