"Systems thinking 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."
The approach of understanding the relationships between components of a system to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Systems theory: The study of how different elements within a system interact, and how the system as a whole functions.
Causality: The relationship between cause and effect, and how it affects feedback loops in systems.
Feedback loops: The mechanisms by which systems respond to changes in their environment, and how they can influence system behavior.
Boundary-setting: The process of defining the limits of a system, and how it affects the system's behavior.
Holism: The belief that systems cannot be understood by looking at individual components, but rather by considering the interconnections between them.
Complexity: The idea that systems can exhibit emergent behavior that is not predictable from the behavior of individual components.
Emergence: The phenomenon in which a system exhibits behavior that is different from the behavior of its individual components.
Interdependence: The recognition that all elements within a system are inextricably linked and that changes to one element can affect others.
Resilience: The ability of a system to absorb disturbances and remain stable.
System dynamics: The study of how variables within a system change and evolve over time, and how these changes affect system behavior.
Systems thinking tools: The various techniques and methods for analyzing and understanding complex systems, including causal loop diagrams, stock and flow diagrams, and system maps.
Systems mapping: The process of visually representing the relationships between different elements and subsystems within a larger system.
Stakeholder engagement: The process of involving all relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of public services, to ensure that the needs and expectations of all parties are met.
Systems leadership: The ability to think and act in a systems-oriented way, to identify the root causes of problems, and to lead change initiatives that improve overall system performance.
Performance management: The process of measuring and monitoring system performance, to identify areas for improvement and track progress towards desired outcomes.
Soft systems thinking: This approach is used to explore and include perspectives from different stakeholders, to identify viewpoints, and to develop a shared understanding of complex systems.
Hard systems thinking: This approach is characterized by a focus on technical problem-solving, using mathematical models, and other forms of quantification.
Critical systems thinking: This approach aims to explore systems thinking from a critical perspective, looking at the assumptions, values, and power dynamics that can influence the way problems are defined and addressed.
Boundary thinking: This approach aims to address the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of public services, by paying attention to the systems boundary, identifying the interrelationships between different parts of the system, and ensuring they operate as a coherent whole.
Network thinking: This approach considers complex interconnections among actors that work toward public service delivery. Network thinking enables identifying key roles, relationships and actionable feedback for improving the coordination of different actors.
Human-centered systems thinking: This approach focuses on understanding the end-users of public services and tailoring service delivery processes accordingly to meet users' needs holistically.
Ecological systems thinking: This approach considers a systems perspective that takes into account environmental and ecological impacts of various public services delivery systems. It aims to balance ecological sustainability with socio-economic progress.
Participatory systems thinking: This approach involves engaging stakeholders (customer/clients, staff, community members) throughout the problem-solving process to ensure their involvement and ownership of the outcomes.
Adaptive systems thinking: This approach involves focusing on the resilience of public services delivery systems and their adaptive capacities to shocks or unexpected changes by building stronger networks and communication channels.
Complexity thinking: This approach recognizes that public services delivery systems are inherently complex and interconnected systems, involving diverse and unpredictable patterns of behavior, representations and interactions. A complexity thinking approach seeks to understand how diverse patterns in a complex system can inform service improvements.
"It has been used as a way of exploring and developing effective action in complex contexts, enabling systems change."
"Systems thinking draws on and contributes to systems theory and the system sciences."
"...looking at it in terms of wholes and relationships rather than by splitting it down into its parts."
"Making sense of the complexity of the world."
"It has been used as a way of exploring and developing effective action in complex contexts."
"Enabling systems change."
"...looking at it in terms of wholes and relationships."
"Looking at it in terms of wholes and relationships."
"By splitting it down into its parts" (implied opposite of systems thinking).
"Looking at it in terms of wholes and relationships rather than by splitting it down into its parts."
"Systems theory and the system sciences."
"Exploring and developing effective action in complex contexts."
"Draws on and contributes to systems theory."
"Enabling systems change."
"...the complexity of the world."
"Wholes and relationships."
"Dana Meadows, Thinking In Systems: A Primer"
"A Primer" - to provide an introduction and foundational knowledge.
"Thinking In Systems: A Primer" (implies that the book discusses systems thinking).