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Diagramming is a very effective tool for promoting group inquiry into a problem or issue.ĭO start with a central loop or process. DO encourage airing of assumptions.īenefit: better shared understanding of a problem. Drawing DiagramsĭO start with the process of defining variables. This is an important first step towards understanding a problem. One of the strongest benefits of the systems thinking perspective is that it can help you learn to ask the right questions. Even better: try matching a template to the article.ĭON’T worry about drawing loops right away. Good practice: look at newspaper articles and try to draw a few loops that capture the dynamics of a problem being described. It is far more beneficial to have the group engage in their own loop building after appropriate instruction and foundation has been given.ĭO develop your diagrams gradually and informally, in order to build confidence in using systems thinking. if the audience is not familiar with the concepts and methods of systems thinking, they might not understand that the process reveals mental models, can be controversial, and is highly iterative in nature. More realistic goal: to achieve a fuller and wider understanding of the problem.ĭON’T attempt to diagram the whole system - otherwise you’ll quickly become overwhelmed.īetter try to focus on a problem issue and draw the minimum variables and loops you’ll need to capture the problem.ĭON’T work with systems thinking techniques “on line” under pressure, or in front of a group that is unprepared for or intolerant of the learning process.Īdditional danger. The time and concentration required should be proportional to the difficulty and scope of the issues involved. Don’t expect persistent and complex systemic problems to be represented, much less understood, overnight. Solutions to these problems lie at the systemic, not the individual, level.ĭO use systems thinking to promote inquiry and challenge preconceived ideas.Ĭues that non-systemic thinking is going on: Using phrases such as “We need to have immediate results,” “We just have to do more of what we did last time,” or “It’s just a matter of trying harder.” Getting StartedĭON’T attempt to solve a problem immediately. Chronic unresolved problems are more often the result of systemic breakdowns than individual mistakes. Too often we identify problems in terms of their solution for example “the problem is that we have too many (fill in the blank: people, initiatives, steps in our process),” or “the problem is that we have too little (resources, information, budget…).”ĭON’T use systems thinking to blame individuals.
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It also helps in separating solutions from underlying problems. Try redefining it for a different approach.īenefit: systems thinking can help you break through the clutter of everyday events to recognize general patterns of behavior and the structures that are producing them. If your problem does not have all of these characteristics (especially the first three), it may not be appropriate for a systems thinking analysis. People have tried to solve this problem before, with little or no success.Productivity rose rapidly until about a year ago when it leveled off. Example: Profits were steady for 2 years, but have been declining for the last 6 months. The problem has a known history which I can describe.The problem is chronic, rather than a one-time event.The issue is important to me and my business.The problem should have ALL of the following characteristics: It should be used in the spirit of inquiry, not inquisition.ĭO use systems thinking to sift out major issues and factors. Strong advocacy will create resistance - both to your ideas, and to systems thinking. Systems thinking is most effective when it is used to look at a problem in a new way, not to advocate a pre-determined solution. General GuidelinesĭON’T use systems thinking to further your own agenda. Whether you are doing “paper and pencil” models or creating full-fledged microworlds, the process of constructing and using models is primarily about exploring and examining our “mental models” - the deeply held assumptions that influence the way we think and act. The tools of systems thinking are best used as a vehicle to promote team learning in the organization. How do you begin? Your best bet is to approach this endeavor in the spirit of “learning to walk before you run.” Here are some suggestions: Overall Guideline So you’ve taken a systems thinking course - or maybe you’ve read a few issues of The Systems Thinker - and now you want to start using systems thinking on the job.