Systems Thinking

A BEGINNER’S

GUIDE TO

SYSTEMS THINKING

Edited by Colleen Lannon

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SYSTEMS THINKING AS A LANGUAGE

BY

MICHAEL

anguage has a subtle, yet powerful

effect on the way we view the

world. English, like most other Western

languages, is linear—its basic sentence construction, noun-verb-noun, translates into

a worldview of “x causes y.”This linearity

predisposes us to focus on one-way relationships rather than circular or mutually

causative ones, where x influences y, and y

in turn influences x. Unfortunately, many

of the most vexing problems confronting

managers and corporations today are

caused by a web of tightly interconnected

circular relationships.To enhance our

understanding and communication of such

problems, we need a language more naturally suited to the task.

L

R.

GOODMAN

Diagrams also facilitate learning.

Studies have shown that many people learn

best through representational images, such

as pictures or stories.A systems diagram is

a powerful means of communication

because it distills the essence of a problem

into a format that can be easily remembered, yet is rich in implications and

insights.

A systems diagram is a

powerful means of

communication because it

distills the essence of a

problem into a format that can

ELEMENTS OF THE

LANGUAGE

Systems thinking can be thought of as a

language for communicating about complexities and interdependencies. In particular, the following qualities make systems

thinking a useful framework for discussing

and analyzing complex issues:

• Focuses on “closed interdependencies.” The language of systems thinking is

circular rather than linear. It focuses on

closed interdependencies, where x...