Systems Thinking, Systems Dynamics, & Systems Archetypes

Systems Thinking, Systems Dynamics, & Systems Archetypes

Systems thinking is an approach to learning within an organization. The discipline seeks to identify relationships rather than linear cause-effect chains and see the process of change rather than just snapshots.

Feedback loops are critical in systems thinking and help us identify how actions support or counter each other. The process builds on patterns that occur repeatedly. The framework of systems thinking is centered on seeing full patterns and the affect they have on change.

Senge's work in the Fifth Discipline was very popular, but he was self-admittedly not the first to identity systems thinking. The precursor to Senge's work was Argyris and Schon's "Organizational Learning (1978). Argyris and Schon identified 2 organizational models:

1. Model 1 was characterized by manipulative managers, goal-focused culture, and the "cone of silence" where workers keep their head down, do their work, and do not ask questions. This is considered single-loop learning.


2. Model 2 had an emphasis on double-loop learning. For example, when an error (ie. bug or discrepancy) is detected, the organization debates a solution, acts on the change, and generally learns from others.

Argyris and Schon's study found that most organizations do single-loop learning well, but the struggle with double-loop learning. As a result, Senge and others investigated the methods to improve organizational learning ie the "Fifth Discipline."Senge identifies "system archetypes": a way to understand the dynamic complexity of a problem. He describes a scenario where a problem is identified and being familiar with the system archetypes produces a feeling of "deja vu"....a "hey I've seen this problem before" moment. Understanding system archetypes, the engineer might apply leverage in the form of solutions across disciplines, industries, or diverse organizations because he has seen the patterns and can clearly identify the system archetype. It sounds simple, but there must be an awareness by the systems engineer to synthesize the problem, solution, and recognize the system dynamics and related systems archetype.

Putting it all together:

systems engineers would use the systems thinking approach to solving complex problems. Pattern identification, as a result of feedback (including double-loop learning), would help the SE crystallize the problem and craft a solution. If an SE understands system archetypes in the transportation industry, he might apply a similar solution to the manufacturing industry.

Systems architects would also be inherently familiar with the systems thinking approach where they may conceptualize solutions across boundaries in government, industry, academic environments.

Robert Louis Flood wrote a book called "Rethinking the Fifth Discipline. Flood builds on Senge's research and offers his own approach as well as other practitioners. His work revolves around systems planning, critical systems thinking, and system models. The intent is to show how systems thinking may be implemented through various methodologies.