Systems thinking is an approach to problem solving that views problems as parts of an overall system, rather than reacting to individual parts or events in isolation. It involves understanding the linkages, relationships and interactions between system components. Some key aspects of systems thinking include viewing a system as self-organizing, constantly changing, tightly linked, governed by feedback, nonlinear, history dependent, counterintuitive and resistant to change. Systems thinking helps provide context, anticipate consequences of changes, and identify points of control within the overall system.

1. Systems Thinking
Dr. Amjad Idries

2. Why we study Systems Thinking?
• It is a leadership competency. Some people can
think globally while acting locally (see the big
picture).
• It helps to see the determinants and the
consequences when we take decisions and
actions to solve the problems.
• It helps in change some habits or practices or
ways of thinking and way we talk.

3. What are systems?
System
‫نظام‬

5. ”‫يا‬‫جماعة‬...‫ارحمونا‬‫شوية‬..‫أأأأي‬‫عارفين‬‫البلد‬‫دي‬‫ما‬‫ف‬‫يها‬
‫سستم‬‫وما‬‫ماشة‬‫عديل‬‫وفيها‬‫باعوض‬‫قدر‬،‫الضبان‬
‫وشوارع‬‫الزلط‬‫كلها‬‫حفر‬‫وبتكسر‬‫مساعدات‬‫عرباتكم‬‫و‬‫الموية‬
‫وسـخـانة‬‫وبتضر‬‫أغشية‬‫جدران‬‫معدتكم‬..!!‫والمعيشة‬‫غ‬‫الية‬
‫وسعر‬‫كيلو‬‫الطمطم‬‫بي‬10‫دوالر‬‫والتعليم‬‫في‬‫الواطة‬
‫والمستشفيات‬‫الكهرباء‬‫فيها‬‫بتقطع‬‫في‬‫نص‬‫العمل‬‫ية‬..‫دا‬‫كلو‬
‫عارفنو‬‫ومعايشنو‬..!!“
www.sudaneseonline.com/

6. ”‫مستشفي‬ ‫كل‬ ‫في‬ ‫النة‬ ‫المستشفي‬ ‫إدارة‬ ‫سببة‬ ‫دة‬ ‫الخلل‬‫الدنيا‬ ‫ات‬
‫بتبدأ‬ ‫التأمين‬ ‫حالة‬ ‫في‬ ‫إال‬ ‫واحدة‬ ‫مقابلة‬ ‫رسوم‬ ‫بتدفع‬‫بمقابلة‬
‫لحهة‬ ‫التحويل‬ ‫يتم‬ ‫الكشف‬ ‫بعد‬ ‫و‬ ‫العمومي‬ ‫الطبيب‬
‫اإلختصاص‬….
‫الخ‬ ‫المستشفي‬ ‫هزا‬ ‫في‬ ‫وحدة‬ ‫لية‬ ‫عامل‬ ‫دة‬ ‫الطبيب‬ ‫نفس‬‫و‬ ‫اص‬
‫المراقبة‬ ‫غياب‬ ‫بوضوح‬ ‫يبين‬ ‫غريب‬ ‫وضع‬ ‫دة‬…..
‫دة‬ ‫الحاصل‬ ‫في‬ ‫الرئسي‬ ‫السبب‬:‫فيها‬ ‫ما‬ ‫كلها‬ ‫البلد‬‫س‬‫يستم‬
‫ق‬ ‫من‬ ‫يراقب‬ ‫و‬ ‫محدد‬ ‫نظام‬ ‫يتبع‬ ‫مرفق‬ ‫وال‬ ‫مافي‬ ‫كدة‬ ‫عشان‬‫بل‬
‫الدولة‬….‫الحل‬:‫مؤسسات‬ ‫دولة‬……!!!!!!!”
http://alfatihgabra.wordpress.com/

7. ”‫ريكوفري‬ ‫بعمل‬ ‫أنا‬ ‫و‬ ‫انهاردة‬‫لسيستم‬‫ع‬ ‫توب‬ ‫الالب‬‫مل‬
‫كله‬ ‫للهارد‬ ‫فورمات‬
‫ضيع‬500‫الداتا‬ ‫من‬ ‫جيجا‬
!#$!#$!%&#@$!#@$@#$‫صائم‬ ‫أني‬ ‫اللهم‬:(
‫هارد‬ ‫في‬ ‫نصيحتكوا‬ ‫عاوز‬ ‫كنت‬ ‫انا‬ ‫المهم‬usb‫كويس‬ ‫يكون‬
‫كده‬ ‫بعد‬ ‫الداتا‬ ‫علي‬ ‫أحافظ‬ ‫عشان‬”
http://dvd4arab.maktoob.com

8. What we miss most of the time
……..
is to see the events or patterns
from a system point of view

9. What is the system?
• Meaning !!
• Definition:
it is set of interacting or interdependent or
related components/ elements forming an
integrated whole.

10. What differentiate systems?
In what ways we think of and define a system?

12. Controls

14. Why feedback?

15. The boundary of a system is a decision made by an observer(s)
Think about the entry points to the system

16. Elements of the System
1. Inputs and Outputs
2. Processes
3. Controls
4. Feedback
5. Environment
6. Boundaries and Interface

17. A system can be nested inside another system
A system can overlap with another system

18. Can we see systems?
• Hard systems.
• Soft systems.
Model: is simplified representation or description of a
system or situation used to improve understanding
Graphic models Conceptual model

21. Important aspects in models:
1. Components and/or Sub-systems
2. logical sequences of activities,
3. Influence or effects,
4. Flows,

22. Systems modeling is generally a
basic principle in understanding
how systems usually works, its
behavior and dynamic

23. Concept of Multifinality
• How different people see the same system?
• It helps in analyzing the system into
subsystems.
• Also helps in understanding the boundaries
and the environment.

24. Can you see it from different
points of view?
Supermarket
Social
system
Dating
system
Supply
system
Profit
making
system
Distribution system
Employment system

25. What is the benefits of that?
New insights may be gained into:
- how the supermarket works?
- why it has problems?
- how it can be improved?
- how changes made to one component of the
system may impact the other components?

26. Challenging you ……..
HR System
In your
organization

27. By thinking like this you start to look for the
Synergy
What is the situation where different
entities combine advantageously .
where the whole becomes greater
than the sum of the individual parts

28. Systems Thinking

29. What is Systems Thinking?
• Is the process of understanding how
things within the systems influence one
another within a whole.
• It is an approach to problem solving, by
viewing "problems" as parts of an overall
system.

30. • It involves much more than the
reaction to present outcomes or
events.
• It demands a deeper understanding
of the linkages, relationships,
interactions and behaviors among
the elements that characterize the
entire system.

31. The Concept
• It was introduced for the first time by the
military strategist (John A. Warden III).
• Five Ring System model: any complex
system could be broken down into five
concentric rings.

32. Five Ring System model
1. Leadership,
2. Processes,
3. Infrastructure,
4. Population and
5. Action Units

33. System Characteristics
• Self-organizing.
• Constantly changing.
• Tightly linked.
• Governed by Feedback.
• Non-linear.
• History dependent.
• Counter-intuitive.
• Resistant to change.
Sterman 2006

34. Self-organizing
• System dynamics arise spontaneously
from internal structure.
• The structure is usually linked to the
behavior of the system.

35. Constantly changing
• Systems adjust and readjust at many
interactive time scales.

36. Tightly linked
• The high degree of the connectivity means
that the change in one sub-system affects the
others.

37. Governed by Feedback
• Positive or negative response that may alter
the intervention or expected effects

38. Non-linear
• Relationships within the system cannot be
arranged along a simple input-output line

39. History dependent
• Short-term effects of intervening may differ
from long term effects

40. Counter-intuitive
• Cause and effect are often distant in time and
space, defying solutions that pit causes close
to the effects they seek to address

41. Resistant to change
• Seemingly obvious solutions may fail or
worsen the situation.

42. This approach makes you…..
…… more able to understand the context and
the connections.
…. anticipate rather than react to, the
downstream consequences of changes in the
system.
…….. more able to identify upstream points of
control.
This makes you a good system thinker

43. ‫شكرا‬