Have you ever cleaned your room, only to have it become a mess again in just a few days? I’ve been there. I realized that just putting the clothes on the floor into the closet doesn’t solve the problem. It turned out the more fundamental issue was that I didn’t have enough space for my clothes or a designated spot for clothes I’ve worn once. This is the start of ‘systems thinking’—understanding the connections of the whole instead of just looking at the parts. 😊
So, What Exactly Is Systems Thinking? 🤔
The word ‘system’ might sound grand and complicated. But actually, everything around us is a system. A car, our body, even the ‘room’ I just mentioned is a system. A system is ‘a set of interconnected elements that work together for a common purpose.’ Just like a car isn’t just a sum of its parts, but a machine that works organically for the purpose of ‘transportation.’
Systems Thinking is a way of thinking that focuses on these ‘connections.’ It’s an effort to understand a problem within the structure and interactions of the entire system, rather than seeing it as an isolated event. It’s like trying to see the whole forest, not just a single tree. It starts by changing the question from “Who is at fault?” to “What structure created this problem?”
‘Analytical thinking,’ which we often do, is a method of breaking down a system to understand each part. In contrast, ‘systems thinking’ is a perspective that tries to see how the whole system works by putting the pieces back together (synthesis) and observing what new phenomena arise from the interaction of the parts (emergence).
Core Concepts of Systems Thinking 🧩
To get good at systems thinking, it helps to know a few key concepts. They might seem a bit unfamiliar at first, but they’re not that difficult once you look at them one by one.
| Core Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Interconnectedness | All elements of a system are intertwined like a net. A change in one part can cause unexpected changes in another. |
| Emergence | Just as ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,’ this is a phenomenon where new properties emerge from the system as a whole that cannot be seen by looking at the individual parts. (e.g., a single ant is simple, but an ant colony forms a complex society). |
| Feedback Loops | This is a circular structure where a change in the system affects itself again. There are ‘reinforcing loops’ that amplify change and ‘balancing loops’ that maintain stability. |
| Causality | It is important to understand that cause and effect can be far apart in time and space. You shouldn’t make hasty judgments based only on immediate results. |
If you don’t properly see the causality of a system, a well-intentioned solution can lead to ‘unintended consequences’ that actually make the situation worse. A classic example is the ‘Cobra Effect,’ where a bounty was offered to get rid of pestilent cobras, but people started breeding them to make money, causing the population to increase.
Understanding Systems Thinking with a Case Study 🏙️
Seeing is believing, right? Let’s look at a hypothetical case of applying systems thinking to a city’s traffic problem.
📝 Case: Chronic Traffic Congestion in City A
- The Problem: Residents of City A are highly dissatisfied due to severe traffic congestion during rush hour.
- Simple Solution (Linear Thinking): “The traffic is bad because there are too many cars! Let’s build more roads!” → A large budget is allocated to expand the roads.
- The Result: The traffic seemed to improve for a short while after construction, but a few years later, more people started driving, thinking the wider roads would be convenient. The traffic became worse than before. (Unintended consequence!)
An Approach Based on Systems Thinking
- Step 1 (Identify System Elements): List all factors affecting the traffic problem. (e.g., roads, number of cars, public transport, parking spaces, gas prices, workplace locations, housing types, remote work culture, etc.)
- Step 2 (Analyze Interconnections): Find the feedback loops showing how each element is connected. You can discover a reinforcing feedback loop like ‘road expansion → increased driving convenience → more car purchases → increased traffic.’
- Step 3 (Find Fundamental Solutions): Instead of short-term fixes like road expansion, look for ‘leverage points’ that can change the system’s structure. For example, you could create a new balancing feedback loop: ‘improve public transportation system → increase in public transport users → decrease in car usage → traffic congestion relief.’ Expanding bike lanes or promoting remote work policies could also be effective methods.
Systems Thinking at a Glance
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
Do you have a better sense of what systems thinking is now? Doesn’t it feel like you’ve put on a new pair of glasses to see the world? Take the first step to unraveling complexly tangled problems with systems thinking today! If you have more questions, feel free to ask in the comments~ 😊
