4: Systems Thinking Flashcards
What is a system?
system:
- an interrelated group of elements that interact with one another for a common purpose
What is systems thinking?
systems thinking:
- the perspective that systems need to be considered holistically (you need to think about wholes rather than just about parts) and that parts of a system behave differently when in isolation
What does deterministic mean? What, then, are simple systems, complicated systems, and complex systems?
Deterministic:
- a problem or system free of randomness:
(the output for a given input will always be same, or, deterministic)
Simple System:
- a DETERMINISTIC system with a small number of elements
complicated system:
- a DETERMINISTIC system with a large number of elements
complex system:
- a NON-DETERMINISTIC system with multiple interacting elements, randomness, and feedback
What is the difference vs simple and complex?
Simple:
- stable
- predictable behaviors
- clear cause and effect
- whole = sum of parts
Complex:
- dynamic
- recognizable patterns
- many interactions and feedbacl
- whole > sum of parts
What are the three main types of scale in which we consider engineering projects?
Spatial: the physical extend of a system
- how big are the components
- how far does the project extent geographically?
temporal: time the product or project is expected to last
- how soon will the product/project be ready?
- how long is it expected to last?
- What will happen at the end of the product lifecycle?
- Who and what will it impact over this timeframe
organizational: involvement of organizations that exist for policies, laws, and decisions
- how many levels of government are involved (municipal, provincial, national)
- are there others who create standards that must be adhered?
- are there other groups to consider?
What is a causal loop diagram?
causal loop diagram:
- a graphical tool using symbols to help simplify relationships
- a systems thinking tool used to help identify relationships between different elements in a complex system
- it’s intended to help in understanding a system and also the impact of our decisions when implementing change
In a causal loop diagram, what are nodes and links?
Nodes:
- variables in a system that can change
ex/
- % of society employed in well-paying jobs
- # of people travelling for pleasure
links:
- direction and polarity of the relationship
ex/
- a positive link between the 2 nodes above:
more people employed in well-paying jobs
more people travelling for pleasure
- a negative link example:
the higher the cost of an airplane ticket
the lower the number of people travelling
What is a reinforcing loop?
simple definition:
- If you have a loop where an increase/decrease in a relationship comes around and increases/decreases the node you started on accordingly
concrete definition:
- a change in one direction is compounded by more change in the same direction!
What is a balancing loop?
simple answer:
- If you have a loop where an increase/decrease in a relationship comes around and the opposite happens to your initial node
concrete answer:
- A change in one direction is countered by a change in the opposite direction
What are some important tips in constructing a CLD?
- there is no single correct CLD for a given problem
- variables should be defined so that we can clearly indicate how they change with polar indicators (+/-)
- use iteration in CLD construction
- Identify feedback loops (balancing/reinforcing)
- strike a balance between detail and complexity
What is the real value in a CLD?
A well constructed CLD allows us to examine the RESILIENCE of a system by assessing how well it continues to function when faced with a disturbance / change
