Systems thinking is a holistic approach to analysis that focuses on the way that a systems constituent parts interrelate and how systems work over time and within the context of larger systems. It is a way of making sense of the complexity of the world by looking at it in terms of wholes and relationships rather than by splitting it down into its parts. Systems thinking is a disciplined approach for examining problems more completely and accurately before acting, and it allows us to ask better questions before jumping to conclusions.
Systems thinking is a diagnostic tool that expands the range of choices available for solving a problem by broadening our thinking and helping us articulate problems in new and different ways. It is valuable for telling compelling stories that describe how a system works, and it allows us to make informed choices.
Systems thinking requires curiosity, clarity, compassion, choice, and courage. It involves the willingness to see a situation more fully, to recognize that we are interrelated, to acknowledge that there are often multiple interventions to a problem, and to champion interventions that may not be popular.
Attention to feedback is an essential component of system thinking. Systems thinking uses computer simulation and a variety of diagrams and graphs to model, illustrate, and predict system behavior. Some of the tools used in systems thinking include the behavior over time (BOT) graph, the causal loop diagram (CLD), and the stock and flow diagram.
In short, systems thinking is a way of understanding complex systems by looking at them as a whole and examining the relationships between their constituent parts over time. It is a valuable tool for problem-solving and decision-making in a wide range of fields, including healthcare, business, and education.
