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 SYSTEMS THINKING
• Understanding and analyzing complex systems
and the relationships between their various parts.

• It’s a holistic approach that looks at the big

picture and takes into account the interconnections
of various elements within a system.

• It consider something as a whole rather

than just looking at its individual parts.
SYSTEMS PROBLEMS

• Hunger, poverty,
• environmental degradation,
• economic instability,
• unemployment,
• drug addiction,
• war, etc.
The Blind Men and the Matter of the Elephant
 PART ONE

SYSTEM STRUCTURE
AND
BEHAVIOR
 SYSTEM
• A system is an
interconnected set of
elements that is coherently
organized in a way that
achieves something.

• must consist of elements,

interconnections, and
a function or purpose.
SYSTEM STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR
ELEMENTS INTERCONNECTIONS PURPOSE/FUNCTION
• the individual things in the • the relationships that hold • not necessarily spoken,
system the elements together written or expressed
• easiest parts to notice • can be information-based • watch for a while to see
how the system behaves
• visible or tangible things • what the system achieves
• intangible things
• can divide into sub-
elements and then sub-
sub-elements
 EXAMPLE OF A SYSTEM
ELEMENTS INTERCONNECTIONS PURPOSE/FUNCTION
• players, coach, field, ball etc. • rules, ideas, strategies, • to win the game
communication, laws of
physics that govern the
motions of ball and players

• laws • legal reviews • contain crimes

• Students, professor, libraries, • standards for admission, • to have a degree or deans
etc. requirements for degrees, lister
examinations and grades
STOCK AND FLOW
GRAPH
FEEDBACK LOOPS
BALANCING FEEDBACK LOOP
REINFORCING FEEDBACK LOOP
COMBINATION OF FEEDBACK LOOPS

• Balancing feedback loop

does not allow the system
to amplify itself in one

direction.

• Reinforcing feedback loop

leads to amplification,
either positive or negative

of the system
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