Systems Thinking

14 November 2019
CONTACT
Davina Zietsman
+2776 300 7127
davina@dezadvisory.com
Learning Outcomes
• What is systems thinking
• Key concepts in systems thinking
• The SCQARE method to solve complex
problems
• Defining the Problem: Situation, Concern,
Question
• Determining a solution: Answer
• Evaluating one’s solution: Rationale and
Evidence

• Preparation for ALP

Systems Thinking
Defined
Systems Thinking

What do you think it is?

Systems Thinking
• Systems thinking is a way of seeing the
world that introduces us to a set of methods,
tools and approaches that focus on systems
– rather than parts – aimed at solving
complex problems

• What is a system?
• What is a complex problem?
Systems Thinking
• A system is anything where the
characteristics of it arise from the parts that
make it up, as well as the relationships
between the parts

• Examples
Systems/parts exercise
Systems Thinking
• A complex problem is a problem that can
be approached from multiple ways and has
multiple possible solutions (there is no right
answer!)
• Complicated problems are technical in nature
and have step-by-step solutions
• Complex problems require innovative solutions
and you only know the solution was appropriate
in retrospect

• Examples
Systems Thinking
Key Concepts
Key Concepts
• Becoming a systems thinker means
changing how we see the world
Multiple
Perspectives
Inquiry Mental Models

Inter-
Whole Picture
dependencies

Purpose
Systems Events,
patterns,
Thinker structures
Purpose
• A system has a purpose, and its use depends
on the purpose
Purpose
• In a functional system, all parts are aligned
to the purpose
Whole picture
• Understand the depth and breadth of the
complex problem
• Do not go into solution mode from the
onset!
“ There are 30 dogs in a field.
”
Inquiry
• Respectfully ask questions!
• Innocent curiosity to try and understand the
point of view of as many stakeholders as
possible
Multiple Perspectives
• We see the world based on our lens
• Systems are made up of a collective of
perspectives from different viewpoints
Multiple Perspectives
• When we listen to someone, we ALWAYS
interpret what is said from our perspective
Paper tear exercise
Mental Models
• Mental Models are the beliefs,
assumptions, and internal conversations
we have about every aspect of ourselves,
others, situations and life.
• They are usually unconscious, and yet they
have a powerful effect on our actions.
• If you aware of your mental models, you'll
improve your ability to see the system /
complex problem from different angles
Mental Models
• What are our mental modes about 4IR?
• What are our mental models about
performance reviews?
• What are our mental models about failure?
Mental Models
• Identify 5-10 beliefs (mental models) you
have (as an individual) that may limit your
ability to achieve your role in the workplace
or in your personal life (5 mins)
• Consider the source of your belief
Interdependencies
• The parts in a system are autonomous
• BUT
• The parts are interdependent in a functional
system
Events, patterns, and structure
• EVENTS: What happened?
• PATTERNS: What's been
happening?
• STRUCTURE: Why has this been
happening? How we can intervene
more effectively to create the
results we want?
Events, patterns, and structure
Effect

Cause
The SCQARE
Method
 SCQARE Method
1. Situation
2. Concern
3. Question
4. Answer
5. Rationale
(recommendation)
6. Evaluation
(evidence)
Conditions
• Suspension of blame and judgment
• Discipline and patience
• Learning to ‘trust the process’
• Greater exercise of listening and
questioning skills
• Respect for others’ perspectives
• Respect for own perspective
Benefits
• Learning to see the whole system
• Sharing insights between people
• Increased ability to work with complex issues
• Better understanding of cause and effect
• Ability to address root causes rather than
symptoms alone
• Ability to see patterns and trends
• Develops habits of mind that are useful in many
aspects of life
Situation
Situation
• The ‘Situation’ is the context in which a
complex problem occurs, observed through
various perspectives
Situation
• Each group to identify one complex work-
related problem (10mins)
• Share the complex problem with the class
(2mins)
• As you relay the story share different
stakeholder perspectives
• Everyone else listens carefully without
interrupting
Concern
Concern
• Seeks to unpack the detail of the complex
business problem
• Still incorporating different perspectives, it
explores the issues, concerns, triggers and
challenges related to, contributing to and
impacted by the problem
• The use of rich pictures is a good tool to
understand complex problems from a variety of
perspectives
Concern
• There are no rules for drawing a rich picture
• A good rich picture
• Provides context
• Gives important history / timelines
• Provides multiple perspectives
• Shows relationships
• Has pictures
• Is visible
• Is emotive
All land is equal, but some land is more I wish my
grandfather was Is it safe to.
Invest in South
alive to see this.

equal that others. But I like living in

an urban area
Restitution will
finally be ours. I’m finally
going to be
Africa?

rich
Why don’t
you learn
Viva, South

Crashing ZAR
from us?
Africa, Viva!

“The Land”
Is my land been taken
away just because I am
white?
I’m moving
to Australia

Extra! Extra! But I bought my

• Land was dispossessed
Read all about it… property fair
and square • Shift from agrarian economy
Parliament votes to make it possible to
• Land does not equal
30 Aug expropriate land without compensation unequal society livelihood
• Section 25 of the Constitution
• Limited state capacity
Who will pay
• Slow pace of reform
Who are “our back our
money?
people”?
“Terror” We support this
motion and can This is
Lekota change the complex!
Constitution

ANC and EFF How far back in

time will we go???

So many questions, so little time!

Concern
• In groups, discuss what are the key issues,
problems, and challenges in your work-related
complex problem
• Develop a rich picture of the business issue
(20mins)
• Share your rich picture with the class (3mins)
Question
Question
• The question needs to capture the full
significance of the problem, be worth solving,
be neither too detailed nor too broad in scope

• The question should be framed as…:

• What could we do to address the <problem>?
Question
• Each group to come up with the relevant
Question that needs to be solved related to your
complex work-related problem (5mins)
• Present back to the class (1min)
Answer
Answer
• The ‘Answer’ component of the SCQARE Model is to look at
what may be potential solutions to the problem
• Consider it from the perspective of what needs to be in place to
address the question.
• Potential solutions can be identified through a brainstorming
exercise
• Ideas are then clustered into themes, called “variables”
variable

time
 Answer
Everyone’s Ideas Group your answers into as few as possible
categories à these are the variables which
answer your question
Rule of thumb: 5-9 variables

Variable 1 Variable 2 Variable 3 Variable n

Constant comparison
Similarities?
Differences?
Answer
• In each group:
• Every individual to silently develop >5 potential
answers to your question for your complex work-
related problem (5mins)
o One idea per sticky note
o Incorporate a number of different stakeholder
perspectives
• As a group, start clustering them into logical themes,
called ‘variables’ (20mins)
• Determine suitable names for your variables (5mins)
• Present back to the class (3min)
Rationale
Rationale
• The ‘Rationale’ component investigates the
inter-relationships between each of the
variables, depicted by one-directional arrows
• What you end up with is an Inter-relationship
Digraph (ID) that highlights:
o Drivers - the fundamental elements of a
system that drive or influence the other parts
o Outcomes - the elements that can be used to
measure success
Rationale (ID Step 1)

Capacity of
team

Customer Team
retention collaboration

Employee Openness
satisfaction of comms

For each variable-pair:

Which variable has a
greater influence on the
other variable?
Rationale (ID Step 2)
Capacity
of team

Customer
Team
retention collab

Employee Openness of
satisfaction comms
Rationale (ID Step 3)
Capacity
of team

Customer Team
retention collab

Employee Openness
satisfaction of comms
Rationale (ID Step 4)
The complementors, work with the drivers to achieve the outcomes

Leverage
Rationale
• Once the drivers have been determined, identify
interventions aligned to your drivers

• Example:
• if ‘team collaboration’ is a driver, then a
potential intervention is develop a team
building initiative
• If ‘openness of communication’ is a driver,
then a potential intervention is to develop a
‘everyone-speak-up’ communication forum
Rationale
• Each group to:
1. Develop an ID related to your complex
work-related problem
2. Develop a drivers, complementors, and
outcomes step diagram
• (20mins)
• Present back to the class (2min)
Evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluate your set of interventions in terms of criteria that
makes sense for the organisation

Example Cost Duration Availability Impact on

of skills employees
(1-5) (1-5) (1-5) (1-5)
Intervention
1
Intervention
2
Intervention
3
Summary of
SCQARE Method
 Evaluation
S C Q A R E
Provide Provide Scope the 1. Brain- 1. Draw an Evaluate
context of • Detail of problem by storm ID interventions
problem problem defining a ideas 2. Deter-mine
drivers,
through (what question 2. Theme outcomes
various exactly into and
perspectives are you variables comple-
concerned mentors
with) 3. Identify
• Rich Inter-
picture ventions

Defining and understanding a worthy problem Defining and justifying a worthy solution
Learnings &
Discussion
Today
• Systems thinking • The SCQARE model
• Systems • Situation
• Complex problem • Concern
• Purpose • Questions
• Whole picture • Answer
• Inquiry • Rationale
• Multiple perspectives • Evaluation
• Mental models
• Interdependencies
• Events, patterns, structure
Acknowledgements