A system thought extends the spectrum of possible options to address a problem by expanding our reasoning and helping us express challenges in various ways. Around the same time, we are often made aware by the concepts of systems thinking that there are no ideal solutions; the choices we make will affect other parts of the system. Through predicting the effect of each agreement, we can reduce its magnitude or even make use of it for our benefit. Thinking technology thus helps us to make educated choices.
System thinking is also critical for telling convincing stories about how a system works. For example, drawing causal loop diagrams forces a team to create shared images or stories of a situation. The tools are effective vehicles to define, explain, and communicate your systems understanding, particularly in groups.
When Should We Use Systems Thinking?
Problems suitable for systems-oriented intervention have the following features:
• The problem is relevant.
• The problem is persistent, not one-off.
• The issue is well known, and its history is well known.
• People have tried to solve the problem unsuccessfully before.
Where Should We Start?
Once you start to tackle a question, avoid assigning blame (a commonplace for teams to begin a discussion!). Concentrate instead on topics that people tend to brush about and seek to raise awareness of the issue under discussion. To focus the conversation, ask, “Why are we not aware of this problem?
Finally, we always presume that everybody has or knows the same knowledge about the past. Therefore, diverse viewpoints are necessary to ensure that all views are reflected and solutions adopted by those who choose to adopt them. You can be shocked to discover how different the mental models are from yours if a question is discussed by people from different departments or functional areas.
