After one of my recent posts, the question was asked, “what is the purpose of systems thinking”?  Not what is systems thinking but what is the purpose of systems thinking, and that got me thinking, if the definition of the word purpose is “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists” then what is the actual purpose of systems thinking?

This is harder to answer than you would first think.  Partly because even though systems thinking has gone on for many years, and possibly since the beginning of the human race, what would be considered as systems thinking has often not been defined using that term.  Angela Espinosa observes (2023), “systems thinking emerged in the early 20th century as a transdisciplinary approach for the study of ‘systems’ of all types. It defined a ‘system’ as a set of interconnected components, that share a collective purpose, and that together develop emergent properties that distinguishes them as a whole”.  Angela notes that system shares a collective purpose, however further reading suggests that the purpose is implied and not explicit.   However, and this is important, Angela’s book is focused on sharing the Viable Systems Model (VSM) and “aims to support managers and practitioners in developing self-governed, more effective organisations”, rather than focusing on systems thinking in general.

One possible identified purpose of systems thinking is, “it is a way of thinking that gives us the freedom to identify root causes of problems and see new opportunities” Meadows (2008) however I’m not sure that fully encompasses the wide-ranging ambition that a lot of claims make.  Possibly a more useful way to identify the purpose of systems thinking is to consider the often-used quote by Churchman (1968), “a systems approach begins when first you see the world through the eyes of another” and from this it could be interpreted that the primary purpose of systems thinking is to allow an individual (or an organisation) to consider other perspectives.

I appreciate that other people may have different views on the what the purpose of systems thinking is, but to me, Churchman’s quote highlights a fundamental aspect of systems thinking; after all, if I want to use systems thinking to understand the purpose of systems thinking then I need to consider other perspectives on systems thinking.  If we consider systems thinking to be made up of fundamentals, methodologies, and tools (briefly discussed in this previous blog), then we have to consider that perspective is one of the fundamentals; indeed it could be argued to be the first amongst equals of the fundamentals.

So, if we reduce systems thinking down to considering different perspectives as the primary purpose of systems thinking, and I would suggest we would not be using systems thinking if we did that, then what are the benefits?  In a completely personal opinion, I would suggest that following benefits emerge; expanded thinking, development of empathy, acting in a more equitable way, a reduction of bias and an increase in creativity.  I am sure that different people could produce a different list, but again that emphasises the point that different people have different perspectives.  And 

But, and it’s a big but, although considering different perspectives is a fundamental part of systems thinking, it is not the only one and if someone wishes to use systems thinking then they should try and use all the fundamentals.  After all Churchman says a systems thinking approach begins when we see the world through the eyes of another, not that seeing through the eyes of another is systems thinking!  

The title of this blog is “Novocaine for the Soul: What is the Purpose of Systems Thinking” and there is a reason it refers to a song by Eels (Everett and Goldenburg), which contains the line, “this paint-by-numbers life is f**king with my head”.  Because if we only ever consider one perspective, such as the one prescribed by a paint-by-numbers picture, then we are never going to consider a different perspective, which means we are never going to use systems thinking.  Also, and this appeals to my sense of pop trivia, Mark Everett (E) is the son of Hugh Everett is the son of physicist Hugh Everett III, originator of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.  And it could be argued that many worlds equal many perspectives!

References

Churchman, C. W. (1968). The systems approach. New York: Dell.

Espinosa, A. (2022) Sustainable self-governance in businesses and society Taylor and Francis.

Everett, M. and Goldenburg, M., Novocaine for the Soul (1996).  Sexy Grandpa Music, Songs Of Windswept Pacific, Faux Music

Meadows, D. H. & Wright, D. (2008) Thinking in systems. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing.

Reynolds, M. & Holwell, S. (2010) Systems approaches to managing change: A practical guide.