what does having a systems approach to problem solving mean

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Taking a systems thinking approach to problem solving

Systems thinking is an approach that considers a situation or problem holistically and as part of an overall system which is more than the sum of its parts. Taking the big picture perspective, and looking more deeply at underpinnings, systems thinking seeks and offers long-term and fundamental solutions rather than quick fixes and surface change.

Whether in environmental science, organizational change management, or geopolitics, some problems are so large, so complicated and so enduring that it’s hard to know where to begin when seeking a solution.

A systems thinking approach might be the ideal way to tackle essentially systemic problems. Our article sets out the basic concepts and ideas.

What is systems thinking?

Systems thinking is an approach that views an issue or problem as part of a wider, dynamic system. It entails accepting the system as an entity in its own right rather than just the sum of its parts, as well as understanding how individual elements of a system influence one another.

When we consider the concepts of a car, or a human being we are using a systems thinking perspective. A car is not just a collection of nuts, bolts, panels and wheels. A human being is not simply an assembly of bones, muscles, organs and blood.

In a systems thinking approach , as well as the specific issue or problem in question, you must also look at its wider place in an overall system, the nature of relationships between that issue and other elements of the system, and the tensions and synergies that arise from the various elements and their interactions.

The history of systems thinking is itself innately complex, with roots in many important disciplines of the 20th century including biology, computing and data science. As a discipline, systems thinking is still evolving today.

How can systems thinking be applied to problem solving?

A systems thinking approach to problem solving recognizes the problem as part of a wider system and addresses the whole system in any solution rather than just the problem area.

A popular way of applying a systems thinking lens is to examine the issue from multiple perspectives, zooming out from single and visible elements to the bigger and broader picture (e.g. via considering individual events, and then the patterns, structures and mental models which give rise to them).

Systems thinking is best applied in fields where problems and solutions are both high in complexity. There are a number of characteristics that can make an issue particularly compatible with a systems thinking approach :

• The issue has high impact for many people.
• The issue is long-term or chronic rather than a one-off incident.
• There is no obvious solution or answer to the issue and previous attempts to solve it have failed.
• We have a good knowledge of the issue’s environment and history through which we can sensibly place it in a systems context.

If your problem does not have most of these characteristics, systems thinking analysis may not work well in solving it.

Areas where systems thinking is often useful include health, climate change, urban planning, transport or ecology.

What is an example of a systems thinking approach to problem solving?

A tool called the iceberg mode l can be useful in learning to examine issues from a systems thinking perspective. This model frames an issue as an iceberg floating in a wider sea, with one small section above the water and three large sections unseen below.

The very tip of the iceberg, visible above the waterline, shows discrete events or occurrences which are easily seen and understood. For example, successive failures of a political party to win national elections.

Beneath the waterline and invisible, lie deeper and longer-term trends or patterns of behavior. In our example this might be internal fighting in the political party which overshadows and obstructs its public campaigning and weakens its leadership and reputation.

Even deeper under the water we can find underlying causes and supporting structures which underpin the patterns and trends.

For our failing political party, this could mean party rules and processes which encourage internal conflict and division rather than resolving them, and put off the best potential candidates from standing for the party in elections.

The electoral system in the country may also be problematic or unfair, making the party so fearful and defensive against losing its remaining support base, that it has no energy or cash to campaign on a more positive agenda and win new voters.

Mental models

At the very base of the iceberg, deepest under the water, lie the mental models that allow the rest of the iceberg to persist in this shape. These include the assumptions, attitudes, beliefs and motivations which drive the behaviors, patterns and events seen further up in the iceberg.

In this case, this could be the belief amongst senior party figures that they’ve won in the past and can therefore win again someday by repeating old campaigns. Or a widespread attitude amongst activists in all party wings that with the right party leader, all internal problems will melt away and voter preferences will turn overnight.

When is a systems thinking approach not helpful?

If you are looking for a quick answer to a simple question, or an immediate response to a single event, then systems thinking may overcomplicate the process of solving your problem and provide you with more information than is helpful, and in slower time than you need.

For example, if a volcano erupts and the local area needs to be immediately evacuated, applying a thorough systems thinking approach to life in the vicinity of an active volcano is unlikely to result in a more efficient crisis response or save more lives. After the event, systems thinking might be more constructive when considering town rebuilding, local logistics and transport links.

In general, if a problem is short-term, narrow and/or linear, systems thinking may not be the right model of thinking to use.

A final word…

The biggest problems in the real world are rarely simple in nature and expecting a quick and simple solution to something like climate change or cancer would be naive.

If you’d like to know more about applying systems thinking in real life there are many online resources, books and courses you can access, including in specific fields (e.g. FutureLearn’s course on Understanding Systems Thinking in Healthcare ).

Whether you think of it as zooming out to the big picture while retaining a focus on the small, or looking deeper under the water at the full shape of the iceberg, systems thinking can be a powerful tool for finding solutions that recognize the interactions and interdependence of individual elements in the real world.

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Systems approach to problem solving.

By Dinesh Thakur

Systems approach is widely used in problem solving in different contexts. Researchers in the field of science and technology have used it for quite some time now. Business problems can also be analyzed and solved using this approach. The following steps are required for this:

We’ll be covering the following topics in this tutorial:

Defining the Problem

This is the step when the problem has to be defined. Sometimes one may confuse the symptoms or the exhibition of a behavior to be a problem but actually it may only be a symptom of a larger malaise. It may just exhibit the behavior of a larger phenomenon. It is vital to drill deep into an issue and clearly understand the problem rather than having a superficial understanding of the problem. One must appreciate that this in the initial stage of problem solving and if the problem itself is not correctly diagnosed then the solution will obviously be wrong. Systems approach is therefore used to understand the problem in granular detail to establish requirement and objectives in-depth. By using the systems approach the problem will be analyzed in its totality with inherent elements and their interrelationships and therefore this detailed analysis will bring out the actual problem and separate out the symptom from it.

Developing Alternative Solutions

This the logical next step in the systems approaches for problem solving. In this stage alternative solutions are generated. This requires creativity and innovation. In this stage-the analyst uses creativity to come up with possible solutions to the problem. Typically in this stage only the outline of solutions are generated rather than the actual solutions.

Selecting a Solution

In this step, the solution that suits the requirement and objectives in the most comprehensive manner is selected as the ‘best’ solution. This is done after evaluating all the possible solutions and then comparing the possible set of solutions to find the most suitable solution lot of mathematical, financial and technical models is used to select the most appropriate solution.

Designing the Solution

Once the most appropriate solution is chosen, it is then made into a design document to give it the shape of an actionable solution, as in the evaluation stage, only the outline of the solution is used. At this stage the details of the solution are worked out to create the blueprint for the solution. Several design diagrams are used to prepare the design document. At this stage the requirement specifications are again compared with the solution design to double check the suitability of the solution for the problem.

Implementing the Solution

It is the next step in the process. The solution that has been designed is implemented as per the specifications -laid down in the design document. During implementation care is taken to ensure that there are no deviations from the design.

Reviewing the Solution

This is the final step in the problem solving process where the review of the impact of the solution is noted. This is a stage for finding out if the desired result has been achieved that was set out.

A Systems Approach Example

Let us assume that A is the coach of the Indian cricket team. Let us also assume that the objective that A has been entrusted with is to secure a win over the touring Australian cricket team. The coach uses a systems approach to attain this objective. He starts by gathering information about his own team.

Through systems approach he views his own Indian team as a system whose environment would include the other team in the competition, umpires, regulators, crowd and media. His system, i.e., team itself maybe conceptualized as having two subsystems, i.e., players and supporting staff for players. Each subsystem would have its own set of components/entities like the player subsystem will have openers, middle order batsmen, fast bowlers, wicket keeper, etc. The supporting staff subsystem would include bowling coach, batting coach, physiotherapist, psychologist, etc. All these entities would indeed have a bearing on the actual outcome of the game. The coach adopts a systems approach to determine the playing strategy that he will adopt to ensure that the Indian side wins. He analyses the issue in a stepwise manner as given below:

Step 1: Defining the problem-In this stage the coach tries to understand the past performance of his team and that of the other team in the competition. His objective is to defeat the competing team. He realizes that the problem he faces is that of losing the game. This is his main problem.

Step 2: Collecting data-The coach employs his supporting staff to gather data on the skills and physical condition of the players in the competing team by analyzing past performance data, viewing television footage of previous games, making psychological profiles of each player. The support staff analyses the data and comes up with the following observations:

• Both teams use an aggressive strategy during the period of power play. The competing Australian team uses the opening players to spearhead this attack. However, recently the openers have had a personal fight and are facing interpersonal problems.
• The game is being played in Mumbai and the local crowd support is estimated to be of some value amounting to around fifty runs. Also the crowd has come to watch the Indian team win. A loss here would cost the team in terms of morale.
• The umpires are neutral and are not intimidated by large crowd support but are lenient towards sledging.

Step 3: Identifying alternatives-Based on the collected data the coach generates the following alternate strategies:

• Play upon the minds of the opening players of the competitors by highlighting their personal differences using sledging alone.
• Employ defensive tactics during power play when the openers are most aggressive and not using sledging.
• Keep close in fielders who would sledge and employ the best attacking bowlers of the Indian team during the power play.

Step 4: Evaluating alternatives-After having generated different alternatives, the coach has to select only one. The first alternative may lead to loss of concentration on the part of openers and result in breakthroughs. However, there is a chance that the interpersonal differences between the two openers may have already been resolved before they come to the field and in such a case this strategy will fail. The second strategy provides a safer option in the sense that it will neutralize the aggressive game of the openers but there is limited chance of getting breakthroughs. The third option of employing aggressive close in fielders to play upon the internal personal differences of the openers and at the same time employing the best bowlers may lead to breakthroughs and may also restrict the aggressive openers.

Step 5: Selecting the best alternative-The coach selects the third alternative as it provides him with the opportunity of neutralizing the aggressive playing strategy of the openers as well as increases the chances of getting breakthrough wickets.

Step 6: Implementing and monitoring-The coach communicates his strategy to his players and support staff, instructs support staff to organize mock sessions and tactics to be employed to make the strategy a success. The players and support staff performance is monitored by the coach on a regular basis to ensure that the strategy is employed perfectly.

Simplifying a System or Applying Systems Approach For Problem Solving

The easiest way to simplify a system for better understanding is to follow a two-stage approach.

Partitioning the System into Black Boxes

This is the first stage of the simplification process, in this stage the system is partitioned into black boxes. Black boxes need limited knowledge to be constructed. To construct a black box one needs to know the input that goes into it, the output that comes out of it and its function. The knowledge of how the functionality is achieved is not required for constructing a black box. Black box partitioning helps in the comprehension of the system, as the entire system gets broken down into granular functionalities of a set of black boxes.

Organizing the Black Boxes into Hierarchies

This is the second stage of the simplification process, in this stage the black boxes constructed in the earlier phase are organized into hierarchies so that the relationships among the black boxes is easily established. Once, a hierarchy of the black boxes is established, the system becomes easier to understand as the internal working of the system becomes clearer.

You’ll also like:

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Dinesh Thakur is a Freelance Writer who helps different clients from all over the globe. Dinesh has written over 500+ blogs, 30+ eBooks, and 10000+ Posts for all types of clients.

For any type of query or something that you think is missing, please feel free to Contact us .

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Systems Thinking: A Holistic Approach to Solving Complex Problems

February 22nd, 2024

Everything has become so interconnected, comprising of multi-pronged challenges. We still try to tackle modern problems with linear thinking approaches that isolate problems and reduce complexity.

But, more often than usual, they fall short of providing a viable solution.

Here, systems thinking offers an alternative perspective to understand how things influence one another within embedded contexts.

This holistic approach proves uniquely capable of untangling thorny issues like sustainability , inequality, or emerging diseases and making decision making effective.

As systems thinking gains wider traction, questions arise about what exactly it entails and why it matters. This article maps out the fundamental principles of systems thinking, dynamic tools used, diverse applications across sectors, and the overall benefits of adopting a systems view, especially in 2024.

The systemic perspective holds special relevance for problem solvers and changemakers currently grappling with twisted challenges and complex systems fundamentally shaped by interdependence.

By revealing hidden connections and patented patterns, systems thinking empowers interventions well-matched to our intricately networked world.

From classrooms to boardrooms, systems tools meet teams in any field to support analysis, communication, planning, or evaluation through an inter-relational lens geared to 22nd-century dynamics shaping our existence.

What is Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking is an approach to understanding how things influence one another within a whole entity. Systems thinking studies connections between key parts to see the collective behaviors that result. Expanding perspectives brings clarity to complex situations.

Systems thinking provides a framework for seeing relationships and patterns to explain how systems function. The key concepts include recognizing the interconnected and interdependent nature of systems and shifting from linear to circular causality.

Reductionist Thinking vs. Systems Thinking

In systems thinking, systems behave as integrated wholes in which elements dynamically impact each other over time.

This contrasts with traditional forms of reductionist thinking that isolate parts to understand systems.

Reductionism breaks systems down into discrete elements, rather than examining the fuzzy system boundaries, complex interactions, and unintended consequences that arise within intricate open systems in the real world.

Systems thinking offers a new perspective focused on the linkages, relationships, emergence, and feedback processes underlying systems functioning. By mapping reinforcing and balancing loops, systems thinking can identify behavior-over-time patterns for a system. This helps explain the whole picture better than reductionism.

Key Concepts of Systems Thinking

Several principles form the foundation of systems thinking. First, systems thinking recognizes the importance of feedback loops in driving system behavior. Feedback loops capture how the output of one part of a system impacts the input to another part, creating causal chains.

Reinforcing feedback loops amplify change exponentially while balancing loops counteract the change.

By mapping these feedback loops, system archetypes emerge – common patterns like limits to growth, escalation, and tragedy of the commons. These system archetypes help diagnose systemic issues, revealing core interrelating dynamics.

System archetypes function as conceptual models for understanding challenges like sustainability, urban decay, and organizational change.

In complex systems, leverage points serve as places to intervene for substantial impact. The goal is to identify where minimal effort shifts the system, through changes to parameters, feedback loops, or paradigm-shifting transformations at the level of goals or mindsets. This contrasts with incidental low-leverage tweaks.

Changing social or ecological systems often involves unintended consequences. However each system has interconnections, time delays, and complex human motivations at play. These can undermine change efforts when not adequately mapped and anticipated.

Systems thinking aims to reveal these unintended ripple effects so they can be weighed when leveraging change.

So, while unintended consequences often limit pure design, systems thinking provides insights to navigate reform more wisely. By elevating awareness of inter-dependencies and causal loops, one can recognize patterns, structures, boundaries, and relationships fundamental to systems insights.

Using Systems Thinking Approaches

Systems thinkers employ various conceptual tools to understand systems, communicate about them, and guide interventions.

Causality mapping visually depicts variables in a system, their connections, and the direction of causal influence. This illumination of causal links reveals chains of systemic connectivity not otherwise apparent. It supports the analysis of cascading effects and feedback dynamics.

Systems mapping outlines key system components, their attributes and functions, and interrelationships. This structural perspective clarifies the organization of various elements into an integrated whole.

Systems mapping tools can also overlay dynamic processes like information flows and decision pathways to evaluate systemic leverage points.

Mental models strongly shape how people perceive systems and strategic choices within them. Two people can have divergent understandings of the same system. Reflecting critically on how mental models influence thinking is crucial for expanding limited mindsets that bound perspectives on addressing systemic issues.

More detailed system dynamics computer simulations help model system behavior by mapping dynamic complexity. This computational modeling integrates time delays, feedback processes, stocks, and flows to run long-term scenario forecasts for deeper analysis of complex systems like ecosystems, markets, or hospitals.

Adaptive systems thinkers also recognize that models have limits and that systems change over time in nonlinear ways. Rather than attempting precise prediction and control, adaptive approaches use feedback to dynamically adjust interventions according to emergent system patterns.

This flexibility to meet systems in flux is well-suited for catalyzing change in complex contexts.

Applying Systems Thinking

Systems thinking has powerful and diverse applications across sectors:

In business, systems thinking helps managers gain perspective on organizational challenges and identify root causes of problems like low morale or stagnant sales. By mapping reinforcing loops, leaders can find intervention points to shift momentum.

Systems thinking offers analytic tools to rethink structures, decision processes, and feedback channels for organizational change.

Government policymakers similarly utilize systems approaches to craft robust public policies able to balance social, environmental and , outcomes. Methodologies like group model building bring together diverse stakeholders to map out key system relationships as part of the policy design process.

This systems perspective enables policies attuned to ripple effects.

Nonprofit organizations working on social change also apply systems thinking to guide advocacy and programming. For instance, systems tools like behavior over time graphs and connection circles help groups explicitly map the structural causes perpetuating social problems like homelessness at a community level.

This equips nonprofits to pursue systemic intervention points.

More broadly, systems thinking skills help strengthen collaborative problem solving in teams. Facilitating activities that surface mental models, unpack complex dynamics, and scan for unintended consequences builds shared systemic understanding to transform discussion and explore structural solutions.

Overall, systems thinking fosters paradigm shifts towards interconnected, ecological, and holistic thinking in any problem solving context. This empowers more responsible decision-making.

Benefits of Systems Thinking

Adopting a systems thinking perspective carries many advantages:

Systems thinking allows one to see situations more completely rather than getting lost in details. By focusing on interconnections and processes that link system elements, systems thinking provides a “big picture” orientation. This expanded framework reveals areas of critical linkage within the messiness of complex contexts.

A systems view also aids in identifying types of high-leverage interventions amidst complexity. For instance, by mapping system archetypes like limits to growth or tragedy of the commons, one can pinpoint potent areas to reroute damaging feedback loops.

A systems lens highlights openings for targeted changes to cascade through interconnected subsystems.

Systems thinking also anticipates longer-term consequences of potential actions. By tracing causal threads through a system, secondary and tertiary effects are revealed that may otherwise go unseen.

This equips better foresight for the unintended impacts that might ripple across time and space from well-intentioned interventions.

Additionally, systems thinking brings order and coherence to complexity. By surfacing the organic patterning at play, systems tools decode complex dynamics in understandable yet nuanced ways.

Conceptual frameworks like stocks and flows clarify the structural forces driving issues like urban brain drain or suburban sprawl without oversimplifying.

In all of these ways, systems thinking empowers solutions better aligned to real-world complexity while still providing transformational direction. It permeates analysis with key principles of inter-relationship, temporality, perspectival flexibility, and buried connectivity – allowing insight into predicaments otherwise overwhelming.

Systems Thinking in Practice

For those first learning systems thinking, frustrations can arise. Ingrained linear thinking patterns clash with the new multidimensional perspective. Beginners also face cognitive overload wrestling with interconnections between system elements. However, skills gradually build from foundational concepts towards adept systems analysis.

With consistent practice, systems thinkers progress to parsing dynamics of specialized contexts like public health, smart grids, or supply chains. These domain experts learn to rapidly orient to unfamiliar systems through a systemic lens to ask probing questions.

Expanding one’s toolkit with advanced skills like system dynamics modeling and group facilitation extends capabilities to address complex settings.

Some systems thinkers like Donella Meadows significantly advance the field through groundbreaking applications. Meadows demonstrated deep systems wisdom over her career with The Limits to Growth and pioneering system dynamics methodologies.

These mentors develop strong systemic intuition after internalizing inter-relational patterns for decades. Their capacity to shift mental models in themselves and others unlocks societal transformation.

Ultimately, accomplished systems thinkers heed the call to teach others systemic perspectives that spread. Skills-building workshops on causal loop mapping, systems archetypes, communication tactics, and facilitation techniques proliferate systems literacy.

Outreach occurs across diverse communities given universal relevance. Each effort to cultivate systems thinking and broaden capacity for recognizing systemic leverage sustains movement toward positive change.

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Home > Blog > Tips for Online Students > What is Systems Thinking and How Can You Use It?

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What is Systems Thinking and How Can You Use It?

Updated: October 9, 2024

Published: October 4, 2024

Systems thinking is a holistic approach to solving complex problems. Instead of looking at each part in isolation, it focuses on how different components within a system interact. By emphasizing these connections, you can uncover the broader dynamics at play, gaining insights into how various elements influence one another and contribute to the overall behavior of the system.

This approach is particularly useful if you work in fields like business, engineering, or environmental science, where problems are often multifaceted and interconnected. By looking at the big picture and considering long-term impacts, systems thinking helps you find more effective, sustainable solutions that address the root causes of issues rather than just treating symptoms.

What is Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking is all about looking at how different parts of a system connect and affect each other rather than focusing on each part individually. It helps you understand how changes in one area can influence the whole system. Systems thinking provides a more complete understanding of complex situations by focusing on the bigger picture and the relationships between parts.

You can apply this approach in various areas like business, environmental science, and social policy. It helps you find solutions by considering how factors work together over time rather than just solving one part of the problem. For example, companies can use systems thinking to see how internal operations, market trends, and customer behavior interact to drive success.

What Are the Main Focuses of Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking revolves around a few key ideas that help you understand how complex systems work.

Interconnectedness and Relationships Between Components

One of the main focuses is understanding how different parts of a system are connected. Instead of looking at parts in isolation, systems thinking emphasizes how they influence each other and work together.

Feedback Loops and Circular Patterns

A big part of systems thinking is recognizing feedback loops—situations where the outcome of one process affects the start of another, creating a loop of cause and effect. Identifying these loops helps you understand how systems maintain balance or change over time.

Emergent Properties and Changes Over Time

Systems thinking also looks at how the interactions of smaller parts can lead to new, often unexpected behaviors in the whole system. It’s also important to consider how systems evolve, paying attention to patterns and trends over time rather than just focusing on the present moment.

Biggest Benefits that Systems Thinking Can Provide

Adopting systems thinking has several major benefits, especially when dealing with complex challenges.

Better Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

Systems thinking gives you a broader view, allowing you to consider all the factors involved in a problem . Addressing the whole issue, rather than just one piece, helps you create more effective, lasting solutions.

Clearer Understanding of How Organizations Work

In business, systems thinking helps you see the bigger picture—from how departments interact to how external factors influence your company. This more precise understanding can lead to more thoughtful strategies and smoother operations.

Anticipating Unintended Consequences

By focusing on how everything is connected, systems thinking helps you anticipate potential side effects of decisions, reducing the chance of unexpected problems. This means you can make more informed choices that lead to better long-term outcomes.

Tips for Becoming a Good Systems Thinker

Building your systems thinking skills takes time, but there are several effective ways to develop a more holistic approach to problem-solving.

Cultivate Curiosity About Patterns and Structures

Start looking beyond surface-level problems and dig deeper into the underlying structures and patterns driving a system. This curiosity will help you identify the root causes of issues rather than just reacting to symptoms.

Learn to Recognize Feedback Loops

Practice identifying both reinforcing and balancing feedback loops within systems. Understanding how these loops work will allow you to predict behaviors within the system and anticipate how changes may create ripple effects.

Challenge Your Assumptions

It’s important to question your own mental models and assumptions regularly. This helps you avoid tunnel vision and encourages you to approach problems with an open mind, leading to more innovative solutions.

What are Some Examples of Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking can be applied across various industries, showing its versatility in addressing complex problems.

Supply Chain Optimization in Global Business Operations

In global supply chains , systems thinking is used to analyze and improve logistics, inventory management, and market dynamics. Companies can optimize efficiency by considering how different parts of the supply chain interact, from suppliers to customers.

Urban Planning for Sustainable City Development

In urban planning, systems thinking helps create more sustainable and livable cities by considering how interconnected housing, transportation, the economy, and the environment are. This approach allows city planners to make decisions that balance growth with sustainability.

Healthcare Systems Design for Better Patient Outcomes

Healthcare systems often apply systems thinking to improve patient outcomes. Healthcare providers can design more effective systems that enhance overall care delivery by examining patient flow, resource allocation, and interdepartmental coordination.

How Does Systems Thinking Differ from Traditional Problem-Solving Approaches?

Systems thinking differs significantly from traditional problem-solving methods in that it focuses on the whole system instead of breaking problems down into isolated parts. Traditional approaches often look for linear, cause-and-effect solutions, while systems thinking considers how different elements are interconnected and influence each other.

Systems thinking also emphasizes long-term outcomes and potential unintended consequences, whereas traditional methods might focus more on quick fixes or immediate results. By taking a broader, more holistic view, systems thinking aims to address the root causes of problems, leading to more sustainable and comprehensive solutions.

Are there Any Limitations to Systems Thinking?

While systems thinking offers powerful insights, it does have some limitations. One challenge is the complexity involved; analyzing an entire system can sometimes lead to information overload, making it difficult to pinpoint a clear solution. This can slow decision-making, as the process requires careful consideration of all components and their interactions.

Another limitation is that systems thinking may not always be practical in fast-paced environments where quick decisions are necessary. Implementing effectively requires time, resources, and expertise, which can be a barrier for some organizations. Systems thinking may also face resistance in workplaces that are more accustomed to traditional, linear problem-solving methods.

Are You Ready to Start Using Systems Thinking in Everyday Life?

Incorporating systems thinking into everyday life can improve your approach to personal and professional challenges. To start, practice seeing the connections between different elements in a situation. Visualizing these relationships helps you understand how changes in one area might affect the whole. It’s also important to consider the long-term consequences and potential ripple effects of your decisions rather than focusing only on short-term outcomes.

Another key to developing systems thinking is seeking out diverse perspectives. By listening to others and gathering different viewpoints, you’ll better understand the system you’re analyzing. Over time, as you begin applying these techniques, systems thinking will become a natural part of how you approach problems, leading to more thoughtful and effective solutions.

If you’re looking to further your education in areas like systems thinking, University of the People offers flexible, tuition-free programs that allow you to develop these skills at your own pace. With 100% online courses , UoPeople provides an accessible way to expand your problem-solving toolkit, whether for personal growth or professional advancement.

What are the key principles of systems thinking?

The key principles include interconnectedness, feedback loops, emergence, and a focus on the dynamics of change over time. Systems thinking emphasizes looking at the big picture and understanding how all parts of a system work together.

How can systems thinking be applied in business?

Systems thinking can help improve business operations by analyzing the relationships between internal processes, market trends, and customer behaviors. It’s also valuable for supply chain management, decision-making, and organizational development.

How does systems thinking help in decision-making?

Systems thinking helps in decision-making by encouraging a comprehensive view of problems, considering both immediate and long-term effects. It allows decision-makers to anticipate unintended consequences and create more sustainable, informed solutions.

What tools are used in systems thinking?

Common tools include causal loop diagrams, system mapping, stock and flow diagrams, and feedback analysis. These tools help visualize how different elements within a system interact and influence each other.

What industries or fields commonly use systems thinking?

Systems thinking is used in a wide range of industries, including business, healthcare, environmental science , urban planning, and education. It’s particularly valuable in fields dealing with complex, interconnected problems.

How does systems thinking address complex problems?

Systems thinking addresses complex problems by focusing on how various factors within a system interact rather than isolating individual components. This approach helps reveal the root causes of issues and identifies solutions that account for the whole system, not just its parts.

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone. Read More

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Systems Approach to Problem Solving

The systems approach to problem solving used a systems orientation to define problems and opportunities and develop solutions. Studying a problem and formulating a solution involve the following interrelated activities:

• Recognize and define a problem or opportunity using systems thinking.
• Develop and evaluate alternative system solutions.
• Select the system solution that best meets your requirements.
• Design the selected system solution.
• Implement and evaluate the success of the designed system.

1. Defining Problems and Opportunities

Problems and opportunities are identified in the first step of the systems approach. A problem can be defined as a basic condition that is causing undesirable results. An opportunity is a basic condition that presents the potential for desirable results. Symptoms must be separated from problems. Symptoms are merely signals of an underlying cause or problem.

Symptom: Sales of a company’s products are declining. Problem: Sales persons are losing orders because they cannot get current information on product prices and availability. Opportunity: We could increase sales significantly if sales persons could receive instant responses to requests for price quotations and product availability.

2. Systems Thinking

Systems thinking is to try to find systems, subsystems, and components of systems in any situation your are studying. This viewpoint ensures that important factors and their interrelationships are considered. This is also known as using a systems context, or having a systemic view of a situation. I example, the business organization or business process in which a problem or opportunity arises could be viewed as a system of input, processing, output, feedback, and control components. Then to understand a problem and save it, you would determine if these basic system functions are being properly performed.

The sales function of a business can be viewed as a system. You could then ask: Is poor sales performance (output) caused by inadequate selling effort (input), out-of-date sales procedures (processing), incorrect sales information (feedback), or inadequate sales management (control)? Figure illustrates this concept.

3. Developing Alternate Solutions

There are usually several different ways to solve any problem or pursue any opportunity. Jumping immediately from problem definition to a single solution is not a good idea. It limits your options and robs you of the chance to consider the advantages and disadvantages of several alternatives. You also lose the chance to combine the best points of several alternative solutions.

Where do alternative solutions come from/ experience is good source. The solutions that have worked, or at least been considered in the past, should be considered again. Another good source of solutions is the advice of others, including the recommendations of consultants and the suggestions of expert systems. You should also use your intuition and ingenuity to come up with a number of creative solutions. These could include what you think is an ideal solution. The, more realistic alternatives that recognize the limited financial, personnel, and other resources of most organizations could be developed. Also, decision support software packages can be used to develop and manipulate financial, marketing, and other business operations. This simulation process can help you generate a variety of alternative solutions. Finally, don’t forget that “doing nothing” about a problem or opportunity is a legitimate solution, with its own advantages and disadvantages.

4. Evaluating Alternate Solutions

Once alternative solutions have been developed, they must be evaluated so that the best solution can be identified. The goal of evaluation is to determine how well each alternative solution meets your business and personal requirements. These requirements are key characteristics and capabilities that you feed are necessary for your personal or business success.

If you were the sales manager of a company, you might develop very specific requirements for solving the sales-related information problems of your salespeople. You would probably insist that any computer-based solution for your sales force be very reliable and easy to use. You might also require that any proposed solution have low start-up costs, or have minimal operating costs compared to present sales processing methods.

Then you would develop evaluation criteria and determine how well each alternative solution meets these criteria. The criteria you develop will reflect how you previously defined business and personal requirements. For example, you will probably develop criteria for such factors as start-up costs, operating costs, ease of use, and reliability. Criteria may be ranked or weighted, based on their importance in meeting your requirements.

5. Selecting the Best Solution

Once all alternative solutions have been evaluated, you can being the process of selecting the best solution. Alternative solutions can be compared to each other because they have been evaluated using the same criteria.

Alternatives with a low accuracy evaluation (an accuracy score less than 10), or a low overall evaluation (an overall score less than 70) should be rejected. Therefore, alternative B for sales data entry is rejected, and alternative A, the use of laptop computers by sales reps, is selected.

6. Desingning and Implementing Solution

Once a solution has been selected, it must be designed and implemented. You may have to depend on other business end users technical staff to help you develop design specifications and an implementation plan. Typically, design specifications might describe the detailed characteristics and capabilities of the people, hardware, software, and data resources and information system activities needed by a new system. An implementation plan specifies the resources, activities, and timing needed for proper implementation. For example, the following items might be included in the design specifications and implementation plan for a computer-based sales support system:

• Types and sources of computer hardware, and software to be acquired for the sales reps.
• Operating procedures for the new sales support system.
• Training of sales reps and other personnel.
• Conversion procedures and timetable for final implementation.

7. Post Implementation Review

The final step of the systems approach recognizes that an implemented solution can fail to solve the problem for which it was developed. The real world has a way of confounding even the most well-designed solutions. Therefore, the results of implementing a solution should be monitored and evaluated. This is called a postimple-implemented. The focus of this step is to determine if the implemented solution has indeed helped the firm and selected subsystems meet their system objectives. If not, the systems approach assumes you will cycle back to a previous step and make another attempt to find a workable solution.

Related posts:

• Operations Research approach of problem solving
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• Case Study on Information Systems: Cisco Systems
• System – Concept, Meaning, Definition and Characteristics
• 4 Important Types of Systems
• 11 Types of Information Systems Used in Business
• Strategic Information Systems
• Business Benefits of ERP Systems
• Role of a Systems Analyst in Organizations

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What is Systems Thinking? And How to Use the Fifth Discipline to Understand it?

Systems thinking, also known as systems dynamics, combines understanding how complex systems integrate with each other and solving complicated problems that involve multiple inputs and outputs from these systems’ perspectives. The theory can also help us to build a clear vision of the system while proposing a solution that considers seeing the complex system as a whole picture rather than individual parts. This approach contributes to building a solution considering all the system’s aspects and related systems. In our previous article, The Six Systems Thinking Steps to Solve Complex Problems , we discussed systems thinking as a tool to solve complex problems.

Solving problems is not as easy a job. In many situations, the solutions themselves may lead to more complex problems without understanding the systems mindset, and the endeavours that attempt to solve a simple problem in a project or a company end up with catastrophic consequences. So, the question is, how can we solve a problem while trying to avoid causing the company further problems? The quick answer is to build a holistic approach to solving problems that is based on understanding systems’ mindsets and the interconnectedness between them.

Related articles:

• The Six Systems Thinking Steps to Solve Complex Problems
• Problem-Solving Using Cause and Effect Diagram

What is the Fifth Discipline?

One of the systems-thinking-related theories that propose an answer to this question is the Fifth Discipline theory. It was coined by Peter Sense, senior lecturer at MIT, in his book The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning organization . His theory focuses on transforming a firm into a learning organization through undressing complexity, developing a reflective conversation and fostering aspiration while systems mapping to achieve this transformation, these five disciplines were introduced in the book:

– Personal Mastery refers to the employee’s personal ability to learn and grow. Employees who have high personal mastery are continually learning and improving their capabilities.

– Mental Models suggest that employees will develop their own mental characteristics based on their views, assumptions, and prejudices, and while their actions don’t align with what they say, their actions align with their mental models. Therefore, it is important for managers to understand the mental models of their employees in order to be effective system thinkers.

– Shared Vision refers to the picture of the future shared by the employees inside the organization that can be used to create a connection between them through common aspirations and motivation.

– Team Learning depends on personal mastery as it aims to align the team’s capabilities and develop them to achieve the holistic goal of the team or the organization.

– Systems Thinking refers to seeing the system as a whole rather than as individual parts. Systems thinking depends on the above disciplines to ensure they are building a smart system that is able to identify causes and effects and the implications of findings toward solving problems efficiently.

What are the feedback loops?

Before xtending to the Fifth Disciplne laws, it is worth clarifying the term feedback loops and their main two loops. Feedback loops refer to the interconnections between the cause and effect in the system, and how the inputs and output are affecting each other within the system.   There are main two feedback loops that affect the systems’ components:

– Reinforcing feedback: In this loop, any change in the system can trigger a change in it in the same direction of the change itself.

– Balancing feedback: The system aims to balance (adaptive system). So, the more you push for change in the system, the system pushes back as it seeks balance.

The 11 Laws of the Fifth Discipline

In association with the Fifth Discipline theory, Peter Sense suggested 11 laws that synthesis different situations that may face the application of a specific solution, which are assumed to result from a problem-solving process. One or more of the below situations may occur and have a negative impact on the problem-solving process.  

1- Today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions

Since the organization is a connected system, the current problem is more than likely to result from a previous solution adopted either by existing colleagues or previous ones. So, before adopting any new solutions, it is very important to understand the history of the existing problem. What is the previous solution that produced it? Is the problem related to existing organizational policy or vision? If so, this means that any new solutions will turn out to also be a problem because of the company’s strategy or policy. The cause/effect diagram can help build a link between all the possible causes of the problem, including the previous solutions adopted by the organization.

2- The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back

When you plan to push the system toward a specific solution, the system tends to resist the change, resulting in a phenomenon known as “compensative feedback.” Through this process, the implementation of the solution should consider factors such as: how the system will accept the intervention and the expected feedback (response) from the system, how the changes will affect the existing elements inside the system, such as employees, and what different parties understand the benefits of the change to be. If the system is expected to push back against the solution, then the prior preparation stages can be implemented, such as partial applications of the solution or increasing the employee’s awareness of the benefits of the changes.

3- Behaviour grows better before it grows worse

One of the more noticeable situations when applying a solution for a specific problem is that the system may start to backfire and interact in an undesirable way before showing improvement. For example, changing the project development process may cause negative effects, such as delays in the project delivery, chaos, and a lack of clarity among the project stakeholders. Once these side effects end, the benefits flow, and a better process is adopted that can improve the development cycle and final product. This can be solved by being prepared for this period. For example, the change in the process can be done outside the peak time or applied to a small group of employees first before adopting it with the entire team.

The 11 Laws can provide clear awareness of the problems that may occur while applying a problem-solving solution.

4- The easy way out usually leads back in

In some cases, the best solution is to understand the problem from a systematic approach to eliminate it. Systems thinking depends on having an understanding of the systems structures and the other related systems. Therefore, before solving a problem, it is important to understand more about it and how eliminating it will affect other related systems in order to avoid creating bigger problems. For example, using pesticides to eliminate field pests, such as frogs, may lead to increasing harmful insects. In this case, the solution should consider the consequences before adopting a solution.

5- The cure can be worse than the disease

The solution for problems can become worse than the original problem if the main problem is not well-defined. Sometimes, the proposed solution doesn’t fit the existing system or problem. In this situation, a clear understanding of the problem should help to suggest solutions that work with the existing system. For example, a company changes their design team because the product is not consumer-centred, which may cause the company to bring on a new team who isn’t familiar with the product, thus making the results worse. However, if a clear definition of the problem was set in the beginning, we may end up realizing that more communication between both the marking team and the design team was the only solution needed.

6- Faster is slower

If the solution aims to increase the system productivity beyond its optimal rate, the system may actually slow down to compensate for this change in growth rate. All systems have an optimal growth rate, which is far less than its fastest growth rate. If the problem tends to increase the rate over the optimal growth rate, the system will react by slowing down its growth to reach the optimal growth rate. For example, if you push employees to work harder for a longer period of time, you end up with a burnt-out team who slows down their progress in order to overcome their exhaustion.

7- Cause and effect are not closely related in time and space

When we covered the cause/effect relationship in a previous article, we didn’t cover how they relate. Many people think that the cause of the problem, the effect of the problem, or the problem itself are connected in terms of time and space. However, the cause or number of causes may create effects at different times and locations. For example, if transportation costs increase, the future prices for a product may increase in the market, which causes the consumer satisfaction rate to decrease…etc.

8- Small changes can produce big results—but the areas of the highest leverage are often the least obvious

Small, well-focused solutions can lead to demonstrate significant impacts, especially when they are implemented in the right place and time. For example, finding the right combination of procedures to solve a problem can contribute to building a long-term, sustainable solution.

9- You can have your cake and eat it too — but not all at once

A majority of problem-solvers base their decisions on the “either-or” selection method, as they believe that problem-solving tools can only provide one solution in a specific amount of time. However, the systems thinking method teaches us to consider the big picture. We can provide a complete solution that accomplishes all the required goals if we consider achieving these solutions based on a determined timeline. In this context, we need to understand the problem, the company, and if the problem is actually an effect of a bigger issue.

10- Dividing an elephant in half does not produce two small elephants

Problems need to be seen as a whole rather than as individual parts. Dividing problems into sub-divisions may lead to more problems than solutions. Subsequently, the solution should be planned with consideration for the whole system or organization rather than individual departments.

11- There is no blame

One of the common difficulties when solving problems is to point the finger at someone as the sole guilty person. However, in system thinking, everyone is part of a whole system. So, me, you and the other stakeholders are all part of the problem and the solution. The solution should always consider the stakeholders while planning the solution. For example, solving problems requires the involvement of all of the stakeholders in order to learn about each one’s perception of the problem and suggested solutions.

Problem solvers face challenging issues related to the application of their solutions in reality, which may lead to failed problem-solving processes. If we look at the systems thinking theory, we may find solutions for these practical issues through understanding the system behaviour and variables. The 11 Laws of the Fifth Discipline highlighted situations that problem-solvers face when applying systems thinking as a problem-solving method inside organizations. Considering the above 11 laws during the problem-solving process may contribute to building a real and applicable solution.

Bibiliography

Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization . Broadway Business.

Wright, D., & Meadows, D. H. (2008). Thinking in systems . Earthscan.

The systems thinking, also known as systems dynamics, combines understanding how complex systems integrate with each other and solve complicated problems that involve multiple inputs and outputs from these systems perspective.

Fifth Discipline theory. It was coined by Peter Sense, senior lecturer at MIT, in his book The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning organization . His theory focuses on transforming a firm into a learning organization through undressing complexity, developing a reflective conversation and fostering aspiration while systems mapping to achieve this transformation.

Feedback loops refer to the interconnections between the cause and effect in the system, and how the inputs and output are affecting each other within the system.  There are main two feedback loops that affect the systems’ components: reinforced feedback loop and balanced feedback loop.

1- Today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions 2- The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back  3- Behavior grows better before it grows worse 4- The easy way out usually leads back in 5- The cure can be worse than the disease 6- Faster is slower 7- Cause and effect are not closely related in time and space 8- Small changes can produce big results—but the areas of the highest leverage are often the least obvious 9- You can have your cake and eat it too — but not all at once 10- Dividing an elephant in half does not produce two small elephants 11- There is no blame

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Dr Rafiq Elmansy

As an academic and author, I've had the privilege of shaping the design landscape. I teach design at the University of Leeds and am the Programme Leader for the MA Design, focusing on design thinking, design for health, and behavioural design. I've developed and taught several innovative programmes at Wrexham Glyndwr University, Northumbria University, and The American University in Cairo. I'm also a published book author and the proud founder of Designorate.com, a platform that has been instrumental in fostering design innovation. My expertise in design has been recognised by prestigious organizations. I'm a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the Design Research Society (FDRS), and an Adobe Education Leader. Over the course of 20 years, I've had the privilege of working with esteemed clients such as the UN, World Bank, Adobe, and Schneider, contributing to their design strategies. For more than 12 years, I collaborated closely with the Adobe team, playing a key role in the development of many Adobe applications.

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Reqi Systems Engineering Articles

Understanding Systems Thinking: A Path to Insightful Problem-Solving

In today’s dynamic and complex business landscape, traditional problem-solving approaches often fall short in addressing persistent challenges. Enter systems thinking, a powerful methodology that offers a fresh perspective by considering the interconnectedness of various elements within a system. In this article, we delve into the fundamentals of systems thinking, exploring its principles, benefits, and practical tips for beginners. Whether you’re eager to introduce this approach in your organisation or looking to enhance your problem-solving skills, let’s embark on a journey of understanding the intricacies of systems thinking.

Table of Contents

Understanding Systems Thinking

Practical tips for beginners, the benefits of systems thinking, when to apply systems thinking, getting started, utilising systems thinking tools, indicators of progress in systems thinking.

Systems thinking encompasses a broad range of principles, tools, and a philosophical mindset. It involves understanding the circular nature of the world we live in, recognising the role of structures in shaping the conditions we face, and acknowledging the existence of powerful laws governing systems. By adopting a systems thinking approach, we gain a deeper understanding of the consequences of our actions, allowing us to make more informed decisions.

• Study Archetypes: Dive into the classic stories and patterns to enhance your understanding.
• Practice Frequently: Analyse real-world scenarios, such as newspaper articles and current headlines, through a systems lens.
• Apply Systems Thinking Everywhere: Extend your application of systems thinking beyond the workplace to gain a holistic perspective.
• Embrace Different Perspectives: Use systems thinking to explore alternative viewpoints and understand how others perceive a system.
• Accept the Learning Curve: Recognise that becoming skilled in utilising systems thinking tools takes time and practice. Embrace the journey!

Systems thinking offers several compelling reasons to adopt its principles in problem-solving endeavours. By broadening our thinking and enabling us to articulate problems in novel ways, it expands the range of choices available for resolving complex issues. Furthermore, systems thinking emphasises the importance of considering the interconnectedness of various elements, highlighting that every decision has ripple effects throughout the system. By anticipating these impacts, we can make informed choices and minimise unintended consequences.

Ideally, systems thinking is suited for problems with the following characteristics:

• Importance: The issue at hand holds significant significance.
• Chronicity: The problem persists over time, rather than being a one-time event.
• Familiarity: The problem has a known history, indicating previous attempts at resolution.
• Previous Failures: Past efforts to solve the problem have been unsuccessful.

When approaching a problem through systems thinking, it’s crucial to foster a blame-free environment. Instead of focusing on assigning blame, encourage curiosity within the team. Prompt discussions by asking thought-provoking questions like, “What aspects of this problem are we failing to comprehend?”

To ensure a comprehensive analysis, employ the iceberg framework. Encourage the team to describe the problem by examining its events, patterns, and underlying structures. Additionally, diverse perspectives are essential. Involve individuals from various departments or functional areas to capture a comprehensive range of mental models.

One of the fundamental tools in systems thinking is the causal loop diagram. When using this tool, remember that simplicity is key. Start with a small and straightforward diagram, gradually adding elements as necessary. The diagram should reflect the story your group aims to depict accurately. Don’t fret about creating a diagram that includes every variable; focus on capturing the causal relationships that matter most.

Another valuable resource in systems thinking is the use of archetypes. These classic stories serve as powerful illustrations of systems behaviour. Keep the application of archetypes simple and relatable, allowing individuals to draw parallels between the archetypes and their own problems.

As you progress in your journey of applying systems thinking, it’s essential to gauge your proficiency and recognise when you have truly grasped its principles. Here are some indicators that can help you determine if you’re on the right track:

• Asking Different Kinds of Questions: A hallmark of systems thinking is a shift in the types of questions you ask. Instead of focusing solely on immediate causes and effects, you start exploring the underlying systemic structures and interconnections. You find yourself inquiring about feedback loops, dependencies, and unintended consequences, seeking a more holistic understanding of the system at play.
• Recognising Cautionary Flags: With a growing understanding of systems thinking, you become attuned to catchphrases that may oversimplify complex problems. For instance, when someone suggests, “The problem is we need more (sales staff, revenue),” you instinctively recognise the need to delve deeper. You redirect the discussion towards systemic factors, understanding that increasing staff or revenue alone may not address the root causes.
• Detecting Archetypes and Balancing Processes: As you deepen your knowledge of systems thinking, you begin to identify recurring patterns or archetypes in stories and real-world situations. These archetypes, such as “The Tragedy of the Commons” or “Shifting the Burden,” illustrate common systemic behaviours. Recognising these archetypes enables you to spot imbalances and reinforcing processes within a system, facilitating a more comprehensive analysis of complex issues.
• Surfacing Mental Models: Systems thinking invites a deep exploration of mental models—the deeply held beliefs, assumptions, and perspectives that shape our understanding of the world. As you progress, you become adept at recognising and challenging your own mental models and those of others. By surfacing and examining these mental models, you can uncover potential biases and broaden your perspective, enabling more robust problem-solving.
• Identifying Leverage Points: Leverage points are strategic areas within a system where interventions can have a significant and lasting impact. With increasing proficiency in systems thinking, you start recognising these leverage points, understanding which actions can create meaningful change. This heightened awareness empowers you to identify leverage points in classic systems stories and apply them creatively to real-world challenges.

Systems thinking is a transformative approach to problem-solving, offering a powerful lens through which to understand complex issues. By embracing these principles and utilising its tools, you can unlock fresh insights and uncover interconnected patterns. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or seeking to refine your skills, systems thinking empowers you to tackle challenges more comprehensively, paving the way for effective and sustainable solutions.

Remember, systems thinking is not just a method; it’s a lifelong practice that cultivates curiosity, clarity, compassion, choice, and courage. Embrace this holistic approach, and you’ll witness a paradigm shift in the way you perceive the world and address complex problems.

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Understanding systems thinking concepts and workplace applications

This article was updated on April 29, 2024.

Written by Laurie Davies

Reviewed by  Kathryn Uhles , MIS, MSP, Dean, College of Business and IT

In this article

What is systems thinking.

• Application of systems thinking across industries

Learn systems thinking at University of Phoenix

Have you ever met people who see things from a 10,000-foot view? They look at the big picture rather than get derailed by details, and they’re good at assessing problems before taking action. Such people are probably good “systems thinkers.”

What is a systems thinker? It’s someone who recognizes that a sum is greater than its parts — that all the pieces of an organization connect, interact and play a part in outcomes.

Read on for a systems thinking definition, key elements, examples and ideas on how you might use systems-level thinking in your own educational journey or career.

Systems thinking is a way to approach issues by looking at them as systems. Rather than considering only how to solve an immediate problem, you consider how all of the pieces connect to make the whole.

University of Phoenix instructor Michael Marticek, DBA, MBA, teaches systems thinking and explains the concept to his students this way: With systems thinking, you solve problems by investigating factors and outcomes of those factors on your work.

“It gets made to sound so tricky,” he says. “But it’s really just logic.”

Here’s a simple example. Let’s say you’ve got a piece of machinery in which one pesky gear keeps breaking. Instead of replacing that same gear over and over, a systems thinking approach might look at the gear’s construction and design (casting, forging, metallurgy), the operational conditions (weight, friction, torque, noise), the environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, sanitation), and the maintenance (cleanliness, lubrication). Various interconnected factors could be affecting the gear’s performance and durability.

An iceberg metaphor is often used to describe what systems thinking is. With an iceberg, there’s what we see above the water, and the much bigger, unseen portion underwater.

Continuing with this metaphor, a systems thinker might approach a problem by asking:

• What could be under the surface that we don’t see?
• What are the conditions (budgets, resources) that influence the problem?
• What issues, people or systems are working together to create what is seen above the water?
• What ripple effects might be created by our ideas/solutions?

Six key elements of systems thinking 

Marticek says six key building blocks are key to understanding what systems thinking is:

• Interconnections : Projects and people are connected. A systems thinking approach identifies those connections and considers all of them.
• Emergence : This is the phenomenon of a larger idea, function, property or outcome that results from the interaction of smaller parts. It often is a better solution than could be gleaned from simply looking at the individual parts in isolation.
• Synthesis : This means combining two or more components in a system to form something new that helps us understand the entire system better or to build a better system. “Sometimes you’re combining old ways to make a new way. Sometimes you gain new information and create something new,” Marticek says.
• Feedback loops : Feedback loops illustrate via charts or diagrams the feedback between various parts of a system. “You gather different pieces of the pie, and at the end, hopefully you have an outcome,” Marticek says.
• Causality: Causality looks at how one thing influences others in an interconnected system.
• Systems mapping : Systems mapping is the chart or flow that will inform decision-making. “If you hand this to an executive, this flow diagram will help them understand what is needed to make the change,” Marticek says.

For this process to work, buy-in from the top-down and bottom-up is essential. “If you’re going to alter your business or organization, you have to have a new vision. This is the road everyone is on. Everyone has to be on board with the process — you can’t have holdouts who think, ‘My idea is the best,’” Marticek says.

What is a systems thinker? 

A systems thinker is someone who is able to look at a complex system and consider its interconnectedness and interdependencies, not just its isolated components.

Effective systems thinkers usually have an open mind and think holistically, rather than rely on a predictable formula or a linear approach. Marticek says those who operate from a systems thinking perspective:

• Are curious
• Find root causes
• Have an open mind
• Are good listeners

“If you have ‘I-know-everything’ executives, this never works. People will try to dismantle that process because of frustration with the person creating it,” he says.

Systems thinking often involves considering a number of components, including humans, machinery or equipment, and the environment, and how they work together.

One systems thinking example in the workplace is organizing supply chains, which are highly complex and often involve multiple suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and customers. Another example is project management, which involves designing schedules, considering competing priorities and anticipating potential delays to make sure that projects can be completed on time and within budget.

Those who have an interest in this type of analysis may want to consider a bachelor’s degree in data science to help them gain the necessary education to succeed in this role. With a wide range of applicable industries, a degree in data science is an option for enhancing or beginning a new career. 

Application of systems thinking across industries 

The application of systems thinking is used across a wide range of fields and industries, especially business, healthcare and education. The University of Phoenix degree and certificate programs in these areas integrate systems thinking into the curriculum to help ensure that you are equipped to tackle the challenges ahead by envisioning workable solutions.

Systems thinking in healthcare

Systems thinking in healthcare can help with everything from improving patient outcomes to developing a more streamlined billing process. Examples of systems thinking in this industry include:

• Considering social, cultural and emotional factors affecting a patient’s health to identify optimal treatment
• Figuring out how to improve quality of care by integrating treatment plans across primary care facilities, specialists, and urgent or emergency care
• Analyzing data on demographics, healthcare usage and disease to improve population health and services within communities

Systems thinking in business

Although various departments within a company may be working toward a common goal, they may also be competing for the same resources, implementing different project requirements, or prioritizing different outcomes for success. The ability to design effective solutions and anticipate issues ahead of time is critical to business success. Knowing how to apply systems thinking to business processes and operations management can help to ensure that departments are working together rather than against each other.

A systems thinking approach can be applied to business situations such as:

• Managing airline fleet maintenance, setting flight schedules and arranging sufficient staffing
• Planning a marketing campaign while also considering customer personas, budgets, legal constraints and competitors’ efforts
• Implementing new customer-service software that may require additional employee training or reveal incompatibilities in other systems

Those interested in applying systems thinking in business will want to consider a bachelor’s degree in management or an operations management certificate to begin their career.

Systems thinking in education

Systems thinking provides a powerful framework for understanding and addressing the interconnected factors that affect teaching and learning. This thinking can help educators and administrators develop strategies to better support students as well as the institutions themselves.

What is systems thinking in education? It can include:

• Developing lessons and programs that build on past learning and are appropriate for the student’s age and educational level
• Ensuring programs are aligned with required competencies and current and future workforce needs
• Assessing learning outcomes to identify areas for improvement or gaps in curricula and programming

In all of these fields, questions like “What am I not seeing here?” or “What's under the iceberg that I don’t understand?” can help you begin to grasp the whole system.

If you’re interested in learning more about the mechanics of systems thinking and the ways it can be applied in business, healthcare, education and other fields, UOPX teaches these and other vital skills in the following programs:

• Bachelor of Science in Data Science : In this program you’ll gain the fundamental knowledge needed to analyze, manipulate and process data sets using statistical software. Learn extract, transform and load (ETL) processes for integrating data sets for business intelligence platforms. Discover techniques to transform structured and unstructured data sets into meaningful information to identify patterns and drive strategic decision-making.
• Bachelor of Science in Management : Learn what it takes to improve and optimize organizational effectiveness and productivity in a dynamic and evolving workplace. Develop and apply career-relevant skills in a practical way with coursework in leadership, operations and logistics, project management and strategic management — all of which will help you align resources, improve communication and make key decisions in various industries. 
• Operations Management Certificate : The Operations Management Certificate provides you with a strategic approach to managing the performance of business planning, global sourcing and procurement, production, and logistical activities within an organization. Evaluate quality management approaches within business operations, implement project management best practices, and identify sourcing opportunities and logistical improvements that can enhance organizational efficiency.
• Project Management Certificate (Undergraduate) : Learn about project planning, project coordination, strategic planning, business process and more. In this program you’ll also learn how to estimate project costs and build timelines and use project management software.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A journalist-turned-marketer, Laurie Davies has been writing since her high school advanced composition teacher told her she broke too many rules. She has worked with University of Phoenix since 2017, and currently splits her time between blogging and serving as lead writer on the University’s Academic Annual Report. Previously, she has written marketing content for MADD, Kaiser Permanente, Massage Envy, UPS, and other national brands. She lives in the Phoenix area with her husband and son, who is the best story she’s ever written. 

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Currently Dean of the College of Business and Information Technology,  Kathryn Uhles has served University of Phoenix in a variety of roles since 2006. Prior to joining University of Phoenix, Kathryn taught fifth grade to underprivileged youth in Phoenix.

This article has been vetted by University of Phoenix's editorial advisory committee.  Read more about our editorial process.

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About the College of Business

The UofL College of Business enhances the intellectual and economic vitality of our city, the region, and the broader business world through our academic programs, research, and community outreach activities. We strongly believe that lives improve through entrepreneurship, innovation, critical and rigorous thinking, diverse ideas, and people.

The University of Louisville College of Business offers a wide variety of degree programs to help you accelerate your success and achieve your professional goals. Whether you’re laying a strong foundation for your business career, taking the next big step on your professional journey, or building specialized industry expertise, we’ve got you covered.

UofL College of Business faculty pride themselves on real-world experience and depth of research. They value innovation, critical thinking, and the exchange of new ideas. Our distinguished faculty will help you achieve your goals — before and after graduation.

The Ulmer Career Management Center is a state-of-the-art resource connecting local, regional, and international employers with high-potential College of Business students and alumni.

The UofL College of Business continues to succeed thanks to the commitment and resources of alumni and friends. Learn about our latest initiatives, the impact of our alumni on our mission, and how you can stay involved.

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Systems Thinking: How to Solve Problems So They Stay Solved

From production to customer service and marketing, organizations are made up of a series of interconnected parts. While each function may appear to operate efficiently on its own, a change in just one cog can throw the whole system out of whack. The problems that arise in interconnected organizations can be difficult to solve.

Systems thinking is problem-solving approach that examines the relationships between functions in an organization. Systems thinking is powerful because it enables you to predict the consequences of a potential change. This problem-solving method can also help you eliminate silos, see different viewpoints, and remain focused on the big picture.

Ultimately, systems thinking empowers you to solve problems so that they stay solved. Instead of offering quick-fix solutions that work only in the short term, systems thinking helps you make decisions that benefit your organization in the long run.

You will learn how to:

• Apply systems thinking in the workplace in ways that benefit you and your organization: encouraging innovation, learning from mistakes, and enhancing leadership and management skills.
• Apply the tools of systems thinking to solve a problem.
• Minimize the unintended consequences of major decisions.

Seminar Fee

$430 (includes instruction, seminar manual, refreshments, certificate of completion and parking)

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Interested to learn about our other programs? Check out our other Seminars . Or sign up and we will keep you informed about future educational offerings.

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