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CHAPTER 10 Systems Thinking - Coggle Diagram
CHAPTER 10
Systems Thinking
Elements of Systems Thinking
Reinforcing Loop (Causal Loop)
an action produces a result that influences same action
results in accelerated growth / decline
Produces Exponential growth / decline
potentially unnoticeable until threshold reached
At extreme: loop limit is reached, stops or reverses growth
control key needed to identify factors
Balancing Loop (Feedback Loop)
attempts to move from current state to desired state via action
this system seeks stability
self correction attempts to maintain goal regardless implicit or explicit
control key needed to identify feedback action
Delay
all balancing loops have delay
wrong action might be caused if mitigation action not effective
few systems may be active to effect each other
looking at all systems allows holistic solutions
proper use ensures long-term solutions
system
WHAT IS A SYSTEM?
Has elements
Has a boundary
Has an environment outside the boundary
Has an input and an output
Has relationships between elements
may be causal (one-way) or feedback loops (cycle)
be aware of delayed effect
SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS
Input
Outout
Environment
Feedback loop
Element
Relationship
Boundary
SYSTEM THINKING
Definition: A conceptual framework to allow for the envisioning of the full patterns clearer so that effective changes can be made on them.
Complex situations can be explained by:
Event explanation: produces reactive stance
Pattern-of-behavior explanation: focus on seeing longer-term trends and assessing their implications
Structural explanation: explain the causes of the patterns of behavior, and hence, changing these behaviors
There are 2 kinds of complexity situations:
Detail complexity
characterized by many variables commonly seen in conventional forecasting, planning and analysis.
Dynamic complexity
seen in situations where cause and effect are subtle and the effects over time of interventions are not obvious.
Dynamic complexity is present when
an action has one set of consequences locally and a very different set of consequences in another part of the system (remotely)
obvious interventions produce nonobvious consequence
the same action has dramatically different effects in the short run and long
Levels of explanation
Structural explanation
Lease common, but most powerful
Focus on answering the question, “What causes the patterns of behavior?”
Address the underlying causes of behavior at a level of which patterns of behavior can be changed.
Structure produces behavior, and changing underlying structures can produce different patterns of behavior. (Hence, generative)
Pattern of Behavior explanation
Begin to break the grip of short-term reactiveness
Suggest how, over a longer term, we can respond to shifting trends (hence, responsive)
Focus on seeing longer-term trends and assessing their implications
Event explanation
Doom their holders to a reactive stance
Most common in contemporary culture
“who did what to whom”