Richards' contributions can be sorted into three areas: (1) his development of constraint theory as an approach to the formulation of
policy and technology
strategy; (2) his advancement of the concepts associated with cybernetics as representing a new and powerful way of thinking; and (3) his application of cybernetic ideas to the design of a
participative-dialogic society.
Constraint theory
In his book, Constraint Theory, Richards proposed that, in addressing problems and issues in complex systems involving many participants, desires be treated as constraints rather than as
goals or objectives (as they are in traditional operations research problem formulation).[14] In research for
NASA, he applied constraint theory to the development of an approach for formulating policy on the selection of new
space transportation systems, given the extreme uncertainty in the technologies that will be available by the time a new system becomes operational.[15]
Cybernetics
Richards recognized a unique potential in the cybernetic version of
systems thinking for addressing complex behavioral and social phenomena. He focused on the ideas of
hierarchy, purpose and belief to highlight differences between the process-oriented thinking of cybernetics and, for example,
whole systems thinking,
teleological or purposeful systems thinking, and
ideological systems thinking.[16] He proposed that: (1) cybernetics be treated as a way of thinking about ways of thinking (of which it – cybernetics – is one), making the way of thinking a choice; and, (2) the
cybernetician be treated as a craftsperson in and with time, merging art, science and design.[4]
Designing (a) society
Since its inception in 1992, Richards was a guest at the School for Designing a Society in
Urbana, Illinois.[17] A premise of the school was that social change can be realized in a transformation from the current to a new society (a change of system), not only in improvements to the current society (changes in a system). Richards saw in the cybernetic concept of
conversation a particular dialogic with special relevance to processes of design and participation; from this, he created an idea for a participative-dialogic society, a society without violence or at least one where violence is the alternative of last resort.[18] This idea, he argued, would require a change of thinking.[19]
Awards and honors
In 2002, Richards was elected a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Management (#33) and was awarded the Norbert Wiener Medal of the American Society for Cybernetics in 2007.[20]
Publications
Richards published over 100 books, monographs, journal/magazine articles, and conference papers. These represent a selection (see also the references):
2017 From goal-oriented to constraint-oriented design: The cybernetic intersection of design theory and systems theory. Leonardo 50(1): 36–41 (with Thomas Fischer).[21]
1996 Propositions on cybernetics and social transformation: Implications of von Foerster's non-trivial machine for knowledge processes. Systems Research 13(3): 363–369 (with Rochelle K. Young).[27]
1985 The systems approach in an information society: A reconsideration. Journal of the Operational Research Society 36(9): 833–843 (with Shiv K. Gupta).[28]
1979 Cybernetics and the management science process. OMEGA, The International Journal of Management Science 8(1): 71–80.[29]
1979 A language for policy-level modelling. Journal of the Operational Research Society 30(4): 297–308 (with Shiv K. Gupta).[30]
^Richards, Laurence D. (1996-12-01). "Analysis of Robustness in the Formulation of Technology Strategy". Engineering Management Journal. 8 (4): 21–32.
doi:
10.1080/10429247.1996.11414915.
ISSN1042-9247.