This approach sees each problem as linked to others. Connections between different parts are emphasized. The approach considers broad patterns, not isolated events.
Government often encounters problems that are intertwined. Old methods sometimes ignore how issues are related. It allows policymakers to grasp the bigger context.
This approach helps governments spot underlying problems. It means solutions are more effective. Unexpected outcomes are less likely with systems thinking.
It leads to more cross-departmental teamwork. Barriers within government are broken down. Departments coordinate more effectively.
Policy decisions become stronger with systems thinking. Effects of decisions are easier to predict. The approach fosters sustainable government policies.
Systems thinking is growing in government use. Governments innovate and adapt better with this approach. Systems thinking is key for hard policy problems.
Governments adapt better using this approach. This approach values lessons from the past. It makes government policies more flexible.
Government responses are more robust. Governments can prevent problems sooner. Long-term planning is easier with this approach.
This approach encourages the use of feedback and evaluation. Policies are refined using real experiences. This leads to continuous improvement in government policy.
Systems thinking can be integrated into every stage of policy development. Every policy phase can use systems thinking. Policies stay up-to-date and useful.
It encourages citizen participation. Governments can meet more needs. This leads to policies that are fair and inclusive.
It reforms government practices. Systems thinking prevents recurring issues. A learning culture develops.
Difficult problems are tackled. Creativity and flexibility thrive. Governments can use it to address issues like climate change and public health.
It unites varied opinions. Stakeholder voices are important. Policies are more effective and fair.
Learning is required for this approach. Skill building is important. Staff handle complex tasks successfully.
Systems thinking assists with allocation. It helps identify the most effective interventions. Wise use of funds is promoted.
Results are measured effectively. It supports measurable objectives. Policy effects are easier to follow.
Transparency is improved. Dialogue with citizens increases. Public confidence grows.
Better policies result from this approach. It creates more effective, resilient, and inclusive solutions. Governments should apply systems thinking widely.
explore the idea of systems thinking as a new model for government; a new way of doing, certainly, but also a new way of thinking and being.
systems thinking is a core skill in public health and health promotion and helps professionals develop policies and initiatives that are aware of and prepared for unintended consequences. although there is no universal definition of a system it can generally be regarded as a group of interacting, interrelated and interdependent components that form a complex and unified whole (the systems thinker, 2018). all systems have elements or components that make up the system, a relationship between the elements or components and a pattern of the system as whole.
| in praise of systems thinking: what are “systems thinking” and “system dynamics”?
new ideas for improving policy making cannot mask the shortfall in funding that many public services are facing.
better decisions emerge when we think across systems - understanding how different policies influence health outcomes and economic vitality
by catherine hobbs and gerald midgley systems leadership involves organisations, including governments, collaborating to address complex issues and achieve necessary systemic transformations. so, i…
this blog launches “systemic” – a game that simulates how policy-making systems function and possible shifts that can be made to improve policy outcomes. systemic has been inspired by the world of board games, and was co-created by policy lab
guest blog from the applied systems thinking in practice group, school of engineering & innovation, the open university (uk) systems thinking in times of complex challenges the covid-19 pandemic has shown what governments can do when faced with an existential threat: the climate and associated emergencies are existential threats. these will require even more of governments and of governance. further, these new ways of governing are what is needed to enable governments to achieve real...
from complexity to capability: in this blog post, kristian hudson, yharc implementation specialist's recent podcast conversation with professor harvey maylor explores how embracing uncertainty and the interconnectedness of real-world systems – core tenets of complexity science – can revolutionise implementation science. we dive into practical applications and how to shift systems towards better outcomes.
a systems thinking approach to public health policy development is essential as it ensures there has been a thorough investigation into the dynamic complexit...
last month we had a really interesting ibspn seminar on applications of systemic thinking to behaviour change. using a systems lens to explore behavioural challenges in policy development can lead to impactful and holistic policy solutions.
in a world of rapid change and complex challenges, governments are increasingly recognizing the need to think ahead, plan better, and work together. the ministry of finance, national planning and trade of seychelles realized the potential of strategic foresight and systems thinking for adopting a more integrated approach to strategic planning. what started as a collaboration between the government of seychelles, the resident coordinator office (rco) for mauritius and seychelles in 2022, the united nations department of economic and social affairs (un desa), and unitar, is gradually evolving into a way of working for the ministry.
systems thinking has seen growing popularity in current times. with world events such as the covid-19 pandemic, the ukraine war, the macro-economic uncertainty in the developed world, and the climate emergency, governments, industries, nonprofits, and education institutions have come to realize that
systems thinking for better social policy: a case study in financial wellbeing
by pete barbrook-johnson, co-author of systems mapping: how to build and use causal models of systems.
the cecan 2024 conference ‘looking back and looking forward: closing the loop from evaluation to policy making’ considered the questions ‘what is the role of systems thinking in evaluation? is it the answer to wicked problems?’ in one of its breakout sessions.
join our online event to explore the basics of systems thinking and why it
there is much to be said for systems thinking or a systems-informed approach to key tasks such as evaluation. if the policy problem is complex, then we would not expect a single shot solution to wo…
climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing present and future generations, with far-reaching impacts on the environment, society and the economy. addressing this complex issue requires a holistic and collaborative approach that goes beyond traditional top-down governance models.
decisions in one realm have ripple effects in others. public programs need to reflect that reality.
a bit of a wander
traditional innovation approaches—breakthrough and design thinking—often ignore the complex ripple effects they produce in interconnected systems. in a world facing multifaceted challenges like climate change and sustainability, a systems-thinking approach offers a more resilient and holistic path forward. systems thinking emphasizes understanding interdependencies, redefining problems iteratively, and engaging diverse stakeholders to co-create solutions. this article outlines a four-step framework: (1) define a desired future state. (2) reframe problems so that they resonate across stakeholders. (3) focus on flows and relationships over discrete products. and (4) implement small nudges to gradually shift the system. examples from maple leaf foods, co-operators insurance, and the csa group illustrate how this approach can realign business models for long-term sustainability. while not a replacement for other innovation methods, systems thinking addresses their limitations in tackling “wicked problems.” it encourages companies to anticipate unintended consequences, build coalitions, and adaptively guide transformation in complex environments.
posts about systems thinking written by lancingfarrell
this article explores the importance of systems thinking as a mindset for designing, developing, procuring and delivering products, services, programs and policies, and how to apply it to product management.
in theory, ‘systems thinking’ offers a remarkably attractive solution to the persistent challenges of preventive public health. haynes and colleagues’ recent analysis of the prevention centre in australia offers reason for optimism that it might be possible to translate this promise into action on the ground. in this commentary, we critically assess the claims from this promising case study and their broader applicability to the cause of preventive health. we argue that, in many other contexts, persistent obstacles remain, such as a lack of buy-in from senior policy actors, and a lack of tangible or concrete action following through on an abstract commitment to systems thinking.
an overview of thinking in systems and quick tips on how to recognize issues and apply solutions.
systems thinking provides new ways of seeing the world, focusing attention on the relationship between elements in complex systems and the spaces inbetween. haynes study shows that many policy-makers valued systems thinking as a new way to approach ...
it
background systems thinking is an approach that views systems with a holistic lens, focusing on how components of systems are interconnected. specifically, the application of systems thinking has proven to be beneficial when applied to health systems. although there is plenty of theory surrounding systems thinking, there is a gap between the theoretical use of systems thinking and its actual application to tackle health challenges. this study aimed to create a framework to expose systems thinking characteristics in the design and implementation of actions to improve health.methods a systematised literature review was conducted and a taxonomy of systems thinking objectives was adapted to develop the new ‘systems thinking for health actions’ (stha) framework. the applicability of the framework was tested using the covid-19 response in pakistan as a case study.results the framework identifies six key characteristics of systems thinking: (1) recognising and understanding interconnections and system structure, (2) identifying and understanding feedback, (3) identifying leverage points, (4) understanding dynamic behaviour, (5) using mental models to suggest possible solutions to a problem and (6) creating simulation models to test policies. the stha framework proved beneficial in identifying systems thinking characteristics in the covid-19 national health response in pakistan.conclusion the proposed framework can provide support for those aiming to applying systems thinking while developing and implementing health actions. we also envision this framework as a retrospective tool that can help assess if systems thinking was applied in health actions.
nihr sphr phd student ke zhou discusses her phd research about how systems approaches can be used to help tackle complex public policy issues. in social welfare and public health, we often aim to address challenging policy problems across many issues, disciplines, and, most importantly, governance departments. to successfully tackle complex questions, a variety of […]
background systems thinking approaches are increasingly being used by communities to address complex chronic disease. this paper reports on the vichealth local government partnership (vlgp) which sought to co-create improvements in the health and well-being of children and young people by working with local government in victoria, australia. methods the vlgp included a series of health promotion modules, aimed at creating policy, programme and practice changes across local government. one of these modules, connecting the dots – creating solutions for lasting change, aimed to build capacity for systems thinking in municipal public health and well-being planning across 13 councils. the approach was adapted and data were collected on the stimuli for, and results of, adaptation. results the council adapted the systems thinking approach to meet geographic characteristics, priority health issue/s and participant target group needs. adaptions applied to workshop materials, training delivery, existing and new resources, and to align with other community-based approaches. stimuli for adaptation included the covid-19 pandemic, needs of children and young people, capacity of council to deliver the workshop series, and time available within the project or for the participant group. conclusions systems thinking was used and adapted by councils to improve the health and well-being of children and young people and increase the voices of children and young people in decision-making. flexible delivery is critical to ensure communities can adapt the approach to meet local needs.
under national or state-based legislation, local governments are commonly required to prepare municipal health and wellbeing plans. yet, the issues these plans aim to address are often complex, and programmatic planning approaches traditionally used by practitioners struggle to engage with such complexity as they assume these issues can be ‘solved’ in isolation. systems thinking is increasingly being used as an approach to deal with those struggles more effectively, yet little is known about whether local governments and other stakeholders think systems approaches are feasible and acceptable in practice. this study tested a systems thinking approach to gauge if it could better address complex place-based health and wellbeing issues, such as to reduce noncommunicable diseases. guided by a systems change framework, the approach comprised a facilitated systemic inquiry and rich picture process involving diverse stakeholders in a remote municipality in the australian state of tasmania. among the participants there was broad support for the systems approach tested and they thought it was effective for increasing systems thinking capacity, collaboratively revealing systemic issues, and identifying opportunities to address those issues. they valued the rich picture because it created shared understandings of local issues. the findings suggest more is needed from macro-level policy to support place-based stakeholders to undertake systems approaches in practice, which could result in more sustainable and effective systems change required to improve health and wellbeing outcomes. the findings have implications for theory, research, and practice across interdisciplinary fields concerned with placed-based systems change, especially in rural and remote municipalities.