Systemic Thinking: Building Maps for Worlds of Systems

“Systemic thinking” is the process of understanding how systems influence one another within a world of systems and has been defined as an approach to problem solving by viewing “problems” as parts of an overall system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome, or event.

This book provides a complete overview of systemic thinking, exploring a framework and graphical technique for understanding and identifying new ways to more efficiently solve problems and create solutions. Demystifying the conjunction of systems concepts and systemic diagramming techniques, this comprehensive pocket guide introduces and explains the basis of systemigrams, how to create a systemigram and a SystemiShow, illuminates multiple complex problems, and provides an overview of what purpose they serve for today’s industry professionals.

Systemic Thinking: Building Maps for Worlds of Systems:

• Includes illustrative systemigrams and case studies
• Includes the SystemiTool software, developed by the authors
• Provides an overview of systemic thinking, particularly with regard to systemigrams
• Incorporates graphical representations of systemigrams
• Instructs how and when to implement a systemigram when a problem arises

An invaluable book for industry professionals—specifically, technical leaders in industry and business trying to confront complex problems—Systemic Thinking is also ideal for postgraduate students in engineering and business management.

Table of Contents

Journey I Systemic Failure 1
1 Where We Start From 3
2 Systemic Introduction 6
3 Raining On My Cascade 11
4 It’S The Whole, Stupid! 16
5 The Answer Is . . . Pioneer Acorn Pancakes? 23
Journey Ii Systemic Ideas: The Conceptagon 29
6 Frameworks 31
7 The Conceptagon 35
8 Boundaries, Interiors, And Exteriors 38
9 Parts, Relationships, And Wholes 46
10 Inputs, Outputs, And Transformations 57
11 Control, Command, And Communication 62
12 Structure, Process, And Function 76
13 Variety, Parsimony, And Harmony 86
14 Openness, Hierarchy, And Emergence 93
Journey Iii Systemic Maps: Systemigrams 99
15 What . . . ? 101
16 Why . . . ? 120
17 When . . . ? 140
18 How . . . ? 158
19 Who . . . ? 183
20 Where . . . ? 204
21 To Arrive Where We Started 233