Systems Thinking - Web à Québec - May 2022
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This document discusses systems thinking and introduces some key concepts. It begins with an introduction from Boon about their work in design, strategy, products and systems. It then provides an overview of systems thinking, discussing how it helps navigate complexity. It introduces some tools for systems thinking like causal loop diagrams and explores an example problem space around retail during COVID times. It emphasizes that systems thinking is a philosophy and way of seeing the world through a systems lens.
Systems Thinking - Web à Québec - May 2022
- 1. BOON YEW CHE W May 24, 2022 Web à Québec Getting along with complexity Systems Thinking
- 2. Hello, I'm Boon! 👋 I work on... design, strategy, products, services , ... and systems!
- 5. S Y S T E M S T H I N K I N G Getting along with complexity
- 6. E C Z E M A
- 7. E C Z E M A S C R A T C H I N G S K I N D A M A G E I N F L A M A T I O N I T C H I N G
- 8. E C Z E M A S U P E R F I C I A L C A U S E A N D E F F E C T "My cousin had really bad eczema. She tried this (medication, technique, sorcery, etc.) and it went away . You should give it a try"
- 9. E C Z E M A S U P E R F I C I A L C A U S E A N D E F F E C T "My cousin had really bad eczema. She tried this (medication, technique, sorcery, etc.) and it went away . You should give it a try" C O N F L I C T I N G ( ? ) P E R S P E C T I V E S "Boosting your immune system will help your eczema" "Methotrexate suppresses your immune system to reduce inflammation"
- 10. E C Z E M A S U P E R F I C I A L C A U S E A N D E F F E C T "My cousin had really bad eczema. She tried this (medication, technique, sorcery, etc.) and it went away . You should give it a try" U N I N T E N D E D C O N S E Q U E N C E S Excessive use of topical steroids (a common treatment for eczema) could lead to a condition known as "topical steroid withdrawal" C O N F L I C T I N G ( ? ) P E R S P E C T I V E S "Boosting your immune system will help your eczema" "Methotrexate suppresses your immune system to reduce inflammation"
- 11. E C Z E M A S U P E R F I C I A L C A U S E A N D E F F E C T "My cousin had really bad eczema. She tried this (medication, technique, sorcery, etc.) and it went away . You should give it a try" C O N F L I C T I N G ( ? ) P E R S P E C T I V E S "Boosting your immune system will help your eczema" "Methotrexate suppresses your immune system to reduce inflammation" U N I N T E N D E D C O N S E Q U E N C E S Excessive use of topical steroids (a common treatment for eczema) could lead to a condition known as "topical steroid withdrawal" S E E I N G , S E N S I N G T H E W O R L D D I F F E R E N T L Y I was not very active - sweat made me itch. I looked red all the time. I had to manage stress, environment, diet, relationships, etc.... which was exhausting.
- 12. My eczema is much better now, thanks for modern healthcare... But my experiences helped me appreciate the value of systems thinking. S U P E R F I C I A L C A U S E A N D E F F E C T C O N F L I C T I N G ( ? ) P E R S P E C T I V E S U N I N T E N D E D C O N S E Q U E N C E S S E E I N G , S E N S I N G T H E W O R L D D I F F E R E N T L Y F E E D B A C K L O O P S , V I C I O U S C Y C L E S
- 13. Systems thinking is… ...more than just a collection of tools and methods – it’s also an underlying philosophy. A sensitivity to the circular nature of the world we live in; an awareness of the role of structure in creating the conditions we face; a recognition that there are powerful laws of systems operating that we are unaware of; a realization that there are consequences to our actions that we are oblivious to. ” https://thesystemsthinker.com/systems-thinking-what-why-when-where-and-how/ “
- 14. A system is… …a complex whole; a set of things working together as a mechanism or interconnecting network ” Oxford Dictionaries 2008 “ relationships system boundary parts
- 15. A system is… …a complex whole; a set of things working together as a mechanism or interconnecting network ” Oxford Dictionaries 2008 biological system mechanical system complex adaptive system “ In a sense, systems thinkers ask: what can we learn from understanding systems, so that we can apply the learnings in our own lives and situations?
- 16. Why systems thinking? Systems thinking can be useful for situations wher e many inter-related parts affect each othe r common sense(s) doesn't always hel p other, more invisible factors are at pla y ...for problems big and small 👉
- 17. Comparing UX to systems thinking USER EXPE R IEN CE SYSTEMS THINKING people, context of use PRIMARY PERSPECTIVE system context and behaviour product / service experience O U T C O M E S system health and outcomes discovery, prototyping, delivery ITERATIVE PRAXIS inquiry, modelling, interventions Working between UX and Systems Thinking is like working in different paradigms that intersect.
- 18. Going beyond product & service experiences USER EXPE R IEN CE SYSTEMS THINKING USER EXPE R IEN CE SYSTEMS THINKING product / service experience product / service outcomes system health and outcomes example: Home improvement online shopping & service experience example: Improving the home environment to support post-pandemic lifestyles example: Sustainability of work practices affecting health and society Depending on what you're working on, you can combine or blend UX and Systems Thinking. ⇋ ⇋
- 19. Systems Thinking o ff ers many methodologies for various types of complex problems
- 20. e.g. to evaluate and improve the functioning of an organisation Viable System Model Stafford Beer http://www.moderntimesworkplace.com/good_reading/GRRespSelf/ TheViableSystemModel.pdf
- 21. e.g. to help organisations work through complex problems involving many di ff erent stakeholders and perspectives Soft Systems Methodology Peter Checkland https://www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=65641§ion=6
- 22. e.g. to help improve the delivery of services, and service organisations Vanguard Method John Seddon https://leanandkanban.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/vanguard-network-day-25th-february-2010-part-1/
- 23. UNITARY People all think and align on relating / working in a certain way PLURALIST People don't think alike, but can agree to work other COERCIVE People use rules or assertions on each other System of System Methodologies (SOSM) classifies various systems thinking methods according to different complex situations they are often used for. There's even a way to know which methodology is suited to what type of complex problem
- 24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_theory The disciplines of UX, Dan Saffer, circa. 2005 Systems thinking is multidisciplinary
- 25. Systems thinking thrives on certain "ways of seeing & sensing" https://medium.com/disruptive-design/tools-for-systems-thinkers-the-6-fundamental-concepts-of-systems-thinking-379cdac3dc6a
- 26. Systems thinking can be overwhelming and academic (and can turn people away.... systems stinking 😆) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_system#/media/File:2018_Map_of_the_Complexity_Sciences_HD.jpg
- 27. but it doesn't have to be. Kate Raworth , Economist, Oxford University Environmental Change Institut e Author of "Doughnut Economics"
- 28. Let's explore with an exercise using the "Causal Loop Diagram" tool 1. A problem spac e 2. Forces and event s 3. Causal loop diagrams (just one tool out of many ) 4. So, what's the story?
- 29. 1. A problem space e.g. Retail shopping during COVID times Photo by Heidi Fin on Unsplash
- 30. 2. Forces and events What things become important factors? loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation hygiene Don't take these too seriously!
- 31. 2. Forces and events What factors are related? loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation hygiene
- 32. 2. Forces and events What factors are related? loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake hygiene free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation It's looking messy!
- 33. 2. Forces and events What factors are related? loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake hygiene free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation Cleaned up a bit.
- 34. 3. Causal loop diagrams What affects something else? (important: causation, not correlation!) loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake hygiene free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation Indicates what causes what
- 35. 3. Causal loop diagrams Let's use only one-directional arrows loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake hygiene free time misin- formation mental healt
- 38. 3. Causal loop diagrams How do forces affect increase or decrease? (This is important) loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake hygiene free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation + + + + + + + + − + + + + + + + − + − − − + increasin g − decreasing + in words : "vaccines reduces the need for movement restrictions." − + + + +
- 39. 3. Causal loop diagrams Why is it called "causal loop diagrams"? Where are the loops? loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccine uptake hygiene free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation + + + + + + + + − + + + + + + + + − + − − − + in words : "vaccines reduces the need for movement restrictions." − + + +
- 40. 3. Causal loop diagrams Here's one loop! supply chain changes digital transfor- mation + + This is a reinforcing loop . Both things reinforce each other . As a result, both grow and grow over time. easier in words : "digital transformation will cause changes in the supply chain and vice versa. " (Just an example - don't take this too seriously!)
- 41. 3. Causal loop diagrams Here's another loop! supply chain changes loss of jobs store closures movement restric- tions vaccines misin- formation mental healt h issues This is a balancing loop . The cycle doesn't grow as exponentially because some forces go the opposite way. easier in words : "mental health issues increase the likelihood of misinformation which discourage vaccine uptake, discouraging restrictions from being lifted." (Just an example - don't take this too seriously!) + + + + − − +
- 42. 4. So, what's the story? Stories help us make sense of these complicated maps. loss of jobs store closures infection rates supply chain changes home improvem ent working from home online shopping movement restric- tions masks vaccines hygiene free time misin- formation mental healt h issues digital transfor- mation + + + + + + + + − + + + + + + + − + − − − + − + + + +
- 43. 4. So, what's the story? e.g.: Digital retail will become a new normal. Home improvement on the rise! loss of jobs supply chain changes home improvem ent online shopping free time digital transfor- mation + + + − + + + + Assumptions: new job creation, people like working from home, digital pays off, limited travel for awhile, people want to enjoy despite the pandemic... etc. working from home + − We all have stories about how the world works. Systems thinking helps us relate stories to systems behaviour and vice versa.
- 44. Connection Circles Rich pictures Iceberg model* Cognitive Maps as part of Strategic Options Development And Analysis (SODA ) There are many more tools to explore... *Not just any iceberg model.This one is most commonly referred to in systems thinking.
- 45. Do these "ways of seeing & sensing" relate? https://medium.com/disruptive-design/tools-for-systems-thinkers-the-6-fundamental-concepts-of-systems-thinking-379cdac3dc6a ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡
- 46. A trove of perspectives, tools, & approaches at a cost Various approaches enable us to visualise, sense, navigate, diagnose and shape systems in many ways . But this has a cost. Systems thinking bene fi ts from critical thinking, continuous learning and embracing multiple perspectives. It can be a steep curve, and daunting if we feel like "outsiders" or newbies . There's no "one right way", but we can be aware of "mental traps" that can cause confusion. Tools in fl uence the way you see the world. If you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
- 47. We're used to seeing the world through the eyes of people and products we design for . Systems thinking helps us see the world through the eyes of systems that we're a part of. Parting thoughts
- 48. More rabbit holes resources 🐇 Books: Thinking in Systems, Donella Meadows Simple Habits for Complex Times, Jennifer Garvey Berger and Keith Johnston Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers, upcoming Rosenfeld book by Sheryl Cababa Books from Michael C. Jackson Site: thesystemsthinker.com https://ixda.slack.com #systems-thinking channel Medium article: Resources: Systems Thinking for Designers People who study and apply proli fi cally, and share lots of stuff: Benjamin P. Taylor (bentaylor.com) Kevin Richard (kevinrichard.ch) Giles Hindle PhD (YouTube: Systems Thinking in Practice)
- 49. Thank you. boon.chew@gmail.com medium + twitter : @boonych linkedin : boonyewchew