"Systems thinking is a way of
understanding reality that emphasizes the relationships among a system's parts,
rather than the parts themselves."
Why Is Systems Thinking Important?
"Because it can help you design smart,
enduring solutions to problems. In its simplest sense, systems thinking gives
you a more accurate picture of reality, so that you can work with a system's
natural forces... It also encourages you to think about problems and solutions
with an eye toward the long view—for example, how might a particular solution
you're considering play out over the long run? And what unintended consequences
might it have? Finally, systems thinking is founded on some basic, universal
principles that you will begin to detect in all arenas of life once you learn
to recognize them."
What Are Systems?
"A system is a group of interacting,
interrelated, and interdependent components that form a complex and unified
whole. Systems are everywhere—for example, the R&D department in your organization,
the circulatory system in your body, the predator/prey relationships in nature,
the ignition system in your car, and so on. Ecological systems and human social
systems are living systems; human-made systems such as cars and washing
machines are nonliving systems.
Most systems thinkers focus their attention
on living systems, especially human social systems. However, many systems
thinkers are also interested in how human social systems affect the larger
ecological systems in our planet."
Systems have several defining
characteristics:
• Every system has a purpose within a
larger system.
• All of a system's parts must be present
for the system to carry out its purpose optimally.
• A system's parts must be arranged in a
specific way for the system to carry out its purpose.
• Systems change in response to
feedback."
~The Systems Thinker Newsletter~
Text source: Link
