6.2. System thinking process

Systems thinking is a way of making sense of the complexity of the world by looking at it in terms of wholes and relationships rather than by splitting it down into its parts. It has been used as a way of exploring and developing effective action in complex contexts, enabling systems change.

- Wikipedia

Systems thinking reverses three stage order of analysis:

1. Decomposition of that which is to be explained

2. Explanation of the behavior or properties of the parts taken separately

3. Aggregating these explanations into an explanation of the whole The third step is synthesis.

In the systems approach there are also three steps:

1. Identify a containing whole (system) of which the thing to be explained is part.

2. Explain the behavior or properties of the containing whole.

3. Explain the behavior or properties of the thing to be explained in terms of its role(s) or functions(s) within its containing whole.

Classification

Ackoff [^1] classifies systems on whether or not the parts and/or the whole is purposeful:

1. Deterministic systems in which neither the parts nor the whole are purposeful

2. Animated systems in which the whole is purposeful but the parts are not

3. Social systems in which both the parts and the whole are purposeful.

4. Ecological systems in which the parts are purposeful but the whole is not.

	Parts	Whole
Deterministic	Not purposeful	Not purposeful
Animated	Not purposeful	Purposeful
Social	Purposeful	Purposeful
Ecological	Purposeful	Not purposeful

The engineering design process can be modeled as a social system where both the parts and whole are purposeful or goal-oriented.

[^1] Ackoff, R. L. (1999). Ackoff’s best: His classic writings on management. (No Title).