Necessary and sufficient activities associated with Systems Thinking.

1. Systemic Perspective
Necessary and Sufficient
Activities

2. Typical Approach
Graphic from Corporate Sigma by Anwar El-Homsi & Jeff Slutsky

3. Systemic Approach
Graphic from Corporate Sigma by Anwar El-Homsi & Jeff Slutsky

4. Systemic Perspective
Situation
Patterns of
Behavior
Network of
Interactions
Stakeholder
Perspectives
Establish a
Boundary
Challenge
Assumptions
Leverage
Points

5. Series Videos
• Elaborate on each activity
• Develop understanding
• Example systemic perspective
• For a specific situation
• Guide for skills development

6. Systemic Perspective
Situation

7. Situation
• Situation / System Dilemma
• Results from multiple interactions
• Interactions connect with experience
• Provides context for relevance
• Frame description for guidance

8. Situation (cont…)
• Perspectives vary
• Frame purpose of investigation
• Frame description for communication

9. Magic Connections
• Rapidly growing & needing resources
• Support hiring and training resources
• Other organizations raiding resources
• Support struggling to maintain
readiness

10. Systemic Perspective
Patterns of Behavior

11. Patterns of Behavior
• Situation may appears as an event
• Describe relevant changes over time
• Consider a relevant time frame
• Plotting graphs is great
• Freehand frequently is useful

12. Recurring Patterns

13. Magic Connections

14. Systemic Perspective
Network of Interactions

15. Network of Interactions
• Reality is complex
• Models simplify & promote learning
• Situation – relevant vs connected
• All models are wrong, some models
are useful!
• Useful models promote learning

16. Types of Models
• Qualitative - view interactions
• Causal Loop Diagram
• Quantitative – used in simulations
• Stock & Flow Diagram
• Develop a model with
communication in mind

17. Causal Loop Diagram

18. Stock & Flow Diagram

19. Magic Connections Model

20. Systemic Perspective
Stakeholder Perspectives

21. Stakeholder Perspectives
• Who influences and who is influenced
• Stakeholders may have different
perspectives
• Collaborative iterations valuable
• What’s applicable depends on
complexity and coherence

22. Jackson’s Framework
• Systems
• Simple – few, stable, highly structured
• Complex – numerous, loosely structured
• Participants
• Unitary – similar values and beliefs
• Pluralist – compatible interests
• Coercive – few common interests

23. Systems Methodologies
Jackson 2003

24. Magic Connections
• Customers
• Corporate Leadership
• Support Management
• Non-Support Management
• Pluralist and simple in this context

25. Systemic Perspective
Establish a Boundary

26. Boundary
• Identify regions of responsibility
• Aligned to stakeholders
• May be multiple boundaries
• For the relevant stakeholder
• Inside the boundary is “the System”
• Outside boundary is “the Environment”

27. Early Hospital Discharge

28. Magic Connections

29. Systemic Perspective
Challenge Assumptions

30. Challenge Assumptions
• Decisions based on assumptions
• Mental models based on experience
• Surface and challenge
• Potential invalid assumption

31. Mental Models

32. Magic Connections

33. Systemic Perspective
Leverage Points

34. Leverage Points
• Constants, parameters, numbers
• Buffers, stabilizing stocks
• Structure of stocks & flows
• Length of delays relative to change
• Negative feedback loop strength
• Positive feedback loop gain

35. Leverage Points (con’t)
• Structure of information flow
• Rues of the system
• Power to change or evolve structure
• Goal of the system
• Mindset of the system
• Transcend paradigms

36. Magic Connections
• Consider the model
• Possible leverage points
• Develop a strategy for action
• Implement the strategy
• Monitor progress

37. Magic Connections
Strategy

38. Alternatives
• Policy for no resource raiding
• Migrate to self-service support
• Engineer support requirements out
of the products
• Expand Support’s responsibility
• The best answer is…

39. Systems Thinking World
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