Last week I found myself trying to explain to a colleague what systems thinking was. It was too bad I hadn’t started Systems Thinking Made Simple, or I have done exactly what the Cabreras say not to do, which is simply provide a laundry list of concepts encompassed by the systems thinking field. Instead, I would have known to define systems thinking as a way of thinking in which you understand complex systems by understanding the rules that govern them: Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives.
The advantage of the approach to defining systems adopted by the Cabreras is that it defines a set of common characteristics that underlie various systems thinking approaches, rather than trying to develop a definition that encompasses the myriad techniques and disciplines which systems thinking spans. I found this definition very approachable as it doesn’t require the memorization of numerous leverage points, characteristics and behaviors as Meadows conceptualization of systems did. While I found Meadows’s characterizations helpful, her overview of systems read more like a systems encyclopedia, than a simple definition.
Similarly, since DSRP encompasses essential components in the understanding of a system, this definition is less susceptible to becoming a buzzword than concepts, such as sustainability or resilience, may be prone to. Resilience, in particular, is often understood as something that is always desirable, even though there are certain things we may not want to be resilient, such as addition. By contrast, the DSRP framework merely serves as a way to describe a system, rather than becoming a characteristic we think we want systems to attain. In addition, it’s relatively easy to conceptualize how to apply these concepts to thinking about real world issues.
By developing a set of simple rules to understand a complex field, the Cabreras have passed the “explain it to me like I am five years old” test and really made systems thinking accessible. Therefore, I would recommend Systems Thinking Made Simple to whoever seeks to learn more about the field.
Question: How can the DSRP framework help us identify leverage points we may not have noticed in previous conceptualizations of wicked problems?
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