Systems Thinking. Vicki Sauter

Transcription

1 Systems Thinking Vicki Sauter

2 What problem are you solving?

3 We are in a critical stage of cultural change called a change of age

4 The last critical stage of cultural change was the Renaissance 400 years ago

5 The Renaissance brought us the Scientific Method a method or procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses -Oxford English Dictionary

6 Scientific Method requires us to tear things apart to study smaller and smaller parts Scientific Method looks at parts of the problem independently Scientific Method is very good at answering how questions Scientific Method tells us nothing about why questions

7 Today s world is full of interactions Today s questions are questions of why? You can't solve the problems created by our current pattern of thought using our current pattern of thought -Albert Einstein

8 Systems Thinking Start with viewing the system as a Black Box

9 Then focus on how that system exists within the relevant surroundings of the system. This shapes what we examine, how we examine it, and what conclusions we can draw.

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13 Environment Capital Competition Data Opportunities People Raw Materials Regulation Technology

14 What are the essential outputs from the system that are required by the environment? What transformations are necessary to produce those outputs? What are the essential inputs to allow those transformations? What are the stimuli from the environment that make the system respond? How does it respond to those stimuli? What transformations are necessary to support those stimulus/response pairs? What is required to maintain essential data?

15 Repeat Process Internal to System

16 Which Components? A component that must all be present for the system to carry out its purpose optimally A component that must be arranged with other components in a specific way for the system to carry out its purpose A component that is necessary to complete the specific purposes of the system as a whole A component that fluctuates and adjust to help the system maintain stability A component that receives feedback from the environment

17 Focus on the interrelationships of the system with its environment the components among themselves the components with the environment

18 Components Across Time Events: What happens Patterns: Trends over time Changes in the patterns over time Structure: What causes patterns Are the causes changing

19 Component Perspectives What is the structure of those components What are their independencies How do the components view the system Multiple Perspectives! Are they looking at the problem from the same mental model Multiple World Views!

20 Not everything that can be counted is important and not everything that is important can be counted -Albert Einstein Check your assumptions Consider both measurable and nonmeasurable factors

21 Oooops! You can change a system just by looking at that system You may impact different components differently Watch out for unintended consequences

22 Habits of a Systems Thinker

23 Think in the big picture Look for interdependencies Balance short term and long term perspectives Recognize the dynamic, complex and interdependent nature of systems Take into account both measurable and nonmeasurable factors Watch for unintended consequences Question the assumptions, values and beliefs Consider multiple perspectives

24 What problem are you solving?