Angela Espinosa is Metaphorum Certified Viable System Model (VSM) Coach and Trainer. She is offering VSM Beginner, VSM Coach, VSM Trainer, and VSM Designer Courses. She offers courses in English and courses in Spanish.
Dr. Angela Espinosa (Colombia, 1958) has been an international leader in developing the Viable System Model. She worked closely with Stafford Beer and co-founded and led the Metaphorum to develop his legacy when he passed away.
Angela has three decades experience in teaching, coaching, and consulting in the VSM in Europe and Latin-America. She has published extensively on applications and developments of the Viable System Model.
She is an Emeritus Fellow from the Centre for Systems Studies at the University of Hull, Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Exeter University; a Fellow of the British Cybernetics Society; an an Associate Professor in Transylvania Executive Education, and has been an invited Professor in several Latin-American Universities.
VSM Coach Course in English: Friday 15th November – Friday 13th December 2024
PLEASE COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM
VSM Coach Course in Spanish: Friday 2nd – Friday 23rd May 2025
PLEASE COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM FOR THE SPANISH COURSE
Aims:
This VSM training package aims to:
- Introduce the Viable System Model (VSM), and in particular, the ‘viability and sustainability’ approach, which emphasizes the need for organisational sustainability as well as viability.
- Introduce the ‘Self-Transformation Methodology’ to guide implementation of the VSM.
- Facilitate practicing the VSM and the STM in organisations chosen by students
- Introduce theory and tools for Performance Management and Self Governance
- Offer a critical review of VSM theory and applications
Approach:
- The module will apply an action learning approach – learning by doing’:
- It will introduce the basic cybernetic concepts underlying VSM theory
- Through real life examples, students will learn to apply these concepts in their personal and organisational lives
- The VSM theory will be applied by the students in an organisation of their choice. They will be ‘role playing’ as internal consultants and as employees or customers from the organisation, to learn how to:
- model the organisation as a viable system
- analyse current shortcomings of the organisation, by following VSM criteria of effectiveness
- design a more effective organisation, following VSM criteria
- understand VSM criteria for self-governance and review current performance management systems and decision-making spaces.
- The module will be delivered online, and will include interactive workshops with presentations, using collaborative online technology (e.g., Miro), to share exercises and exchange of experiences.
Assessment:
- Students learning and contributions will be peer-reviewed, through team works, and final presentations of their findings
- Students are invited to summarise their learning in a brief critical essay about the VSM and the strengths and limitations of applying the VSM
Agenda for VSM Coach Course in English
- Day One: Introduction to the VSM
a. Managing organisational complexity
b. The Viable System Model
c. Viability and Sustainability (v & s)
d. Applications of the VSM - Day Two: The Self Transformation Methodology
a. Organisational Identity
b. Recursive Analysis
c. Preliminary VSM diagnosis - Day Three: Full VSM diagnosis
a. S1/Environment
b. S1/S2/S3
c. S3/S4/S5
d. Organisational Pathologies - Day Four: VSM Design
a. Aligning Strategy, Structure and Technology
i. VSM of the desired organisation
ii. Developing roles and mechanisms for strategy implementation
iii. Required ICT developments
b. Self-Transformation Projects - Day Five: Self-governance
a. Performance Management
i. Reviewing KPIs
ii. Reviewing Performance Management Systems
b. Analysing Decision-Making mechanisms
c. Sustainable Self-Governance
Course duration 24 hours- Dates:
5 days each from 13:00 to 18:00 UK
English Course Dates:
November the 15th, 13:00 to 18:00
November the 22nd , 13:00 to 18:00
November the 29th 13:00 to 18:00
December the 6th 13:00 to 18:00
December the 13th 13:00 to 17:00
Note: once completed the registrations, the Trainer and the students can adjust this timetable in the most convenient way for all.
Language
Course: English
Training material: English
Pricing: Course fees: £1000.00
PLEASE PAY USING THIS LINK TO TICKET TAILOR
Spanish Course – Agenda
- Day One: Introduction to the VSM
a. Managing organisational complexity
b. The Viable System Model
c. Viability and Sustainability (v & s)
d. Introduction to the Self-Transformation Methodology
i. Organisational Identity
ii. Recursive Analysis - Day Two: VSM Diagnosis
a. Preliminary VSM diagnosis
b. Full VSM diagnosis (1)
i. S1/Environment
ii. S1/S2/S3
iii. S3/S4/S5 - Day Three: VSM Design
a. Organisational Pathologies
b. VSM design
i. Aligning Strategy, Structure and Technology
1. VSM of the desired organisation
2. Developing roles and mechanisms for strategy implementation
3. Aligning strategy & structure
4. Required ICT developments
c. Self-Transformation Projects - Day Four: Self-governance
a. Performance Management
i. Reviewing KPIs
ii. Reviewing Performance Management Systems
b. Analysing Decision-Making mechanisms
c. Sustainable Self-Governance
d. Critical review of VSM applications
Spanish Course Dates:
4 days each from 7am to 1pm Latin-American Time
May the 2nd 2025, 7 am – 1 pm
May the 9th 2025, 7 am – 1 pm
May the 16th 2025, 7 am – 1 pm
May the 23rd 2025, 7 am – 1 pm
Language
Course: Spanish,
Training material: Spanish
Pricing: Course fees: US $700 (including certification)
The price includes course material.
If a bursary is required please communicate with the trainer
For certification and membership purposes, your contact information will be shared with Metaphorum.
Certification:
By the end of the module, and once proven the quality of the teamwork and the individual reflection, the trainee receives a Metaphorum Certificate as a VSM Coach (cost included in the course’s fees).
VSM Designer (Angela Espinosa)
For the students who have completed their VSM Coach module, and got certified, the Trainer will offer the next stage of certification as follows:
Once completed the module, the trainees will have between 6 and 12 months of time to develop a full application of the VSM in an organisation of their choice, while being mentored by the Trainer.
The mentoring scheme will include:
- 1 hour monthly of (online) mentoring, to get advice in the process of implementing the VSM, discuss any doubts or challenges, and receive recommendations on the next stages to follow
- 1 (2 hour) group meeting every three months with other trainees developing their certification as VSM designers, to share experiences and learn from each other
- Mentoring for writing up of a final report on the application
- If the trainee was interested, mentoring for presenting a webinar in the Metaphorum community (or in the annual conference) about the learning through the VSM application
- Contributing with any new materials and tools developed by the trainee through the process, with other trainees, in a shared platform (community of practice)
The cost of the VSM Design Certificate is £100 per mentoring hour (there is no additional cost for the team meetings every three months). The student decides for how long the application goes and the mentoring is required (maximum 12 sessions).
By the end of the process of application, the trainee receives a Metaphorum Certificate as a VSM Designer (included in the cost of the module). This certificate could then be used by the trainees to develop their own VSM training courses (VSM beginners, VSM coach, or VSM designer)
NOTE: We will be soon announcing a VSM beginners module of 8 hours, which will also include a certification