Problems are seen as parts of a bigger picture with systems thinking. It studies links among components of the system. This approach looks beyond isolated events or issues.
Government often encounters problems that are intertwined. Traditional approaches may not see all links among issues. Systems thinking helps policymakers see the bigger picture.
Root causes become clearer with this method. This knowledge produces more successful results. It can stop unintended results from occurring.
It promotes working together in government. It unites different government units. Departments coordinate more effectively.
It raises the quality of government decisions. This approach aids in forecasting results. Long-lasting policies are more likely.
This method is gaining popularity among governments. It supports creative responses to change. Systems thinking is valuable for tackling complex policy issues.
It makes governments more agile. Lessons from history are more useful with this method. Systems thinking creates adaptable policies.
Policies withstand shocks with systems thinking. It spots risks in advance. It supports strategic planning.
Evaluation shapes policy outcomes. Policymakers can adjust policies based on real-world outcomes. Policies become better through this process.
Policy development uses systems thinking at every step. Planning, doing, and reviewing benefit. Effectiveness is maintained.
It increases public involvement. Diverse groups are better understood. Government becomes more equitable.
Governments move beyond outdated methods. Systems thinking prevents recurring issues. Government values growth and learning.
It deals with persistent policy challenges. Flexible thinking is promoted. Big challenges are easier to face.
It unites varied opinions. It values input from a range of stakeholders. It results in well-rounded policies.
Skills development is important. Investing in skills is key. Staff are ready for complex issues.
Systems thinking can help governments manage limited resources. The right interventions become clear. Government spending is optimized.
Governments can measure better. The approach uses specific indicators. Tracking results is simpler.
Decisions are more open. Dialogue with citizens increases. Trust in government rises.
Overall policy is made better. It leads to robust and fair solutions. Governments should apply systems thinking widely.
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.
systems thinking, a holistic approach to problem-solving, offers a powerful lens to navigate today’s interconnected world,
engineering expertise meets policymaking practice - explore raeng programmes like policy fellowships and system approaches in government that bring systems thinking to government challenges
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.
an overview of thinking in systems and quick tips on how to recognize issues and apply solutions.
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.
by catherine hobbs and gerald midgley. originally published on the integration and implementation in
better decisions emerge when we think across systems - understanding how different policies influence health outcomes and economic vitality
join our online event to explore the basics of systems thinking and why it
systems thinking brings problems to the surface, making it easier for governments to collectively develop, influence and shape solutions, including in relation to grand missions, policy domains and governments themselves.
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.
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.
background there is increasing interest in using systems thinking to tackle ‘wicked’ policy problems in preventive health, but this can be challenging for policy-makers because the literature is amorphous and often highly theoretical. little is known about how best to support health policy-makers to gain skills in understanding and applying systems thinking for policy action. methods in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 policy-makers who are participating in an australian research collaboration that uses a systems approach. our aim was to explore factors that support policy-makers to use systems approaches, and to identify any impacts of systems thinking on policy thinking or action, including the pathways through which these impacts occurred. results all 18 policy-makers agreed that systems thinking has merit but some questioned its practical policy utility. a small minority were confused about what systems thinking is or which approaches were being used in the collaboration. the majority were engaged with systems thinking and this group identified concrete impacts on their work. they reported using systems-focused research, ideas, tools and resources in policy work that were contributing to the development of practical methodologies for policy design, scaling up, implementation and evaluation; and to new prevention narratives. importantly, systems thinking was helping some policy-makers to reconceptualise health problems and contexts, goals, potential policy solutions and methods. in short, they were changing how they think about preventive health. conclusion these results show that researchers and policy-makers can put systems thinking into action as part of a research collaboration, and that this can result in discernible impacts on policy processes. in this case, action-oriented collaboration and capacity development over a 5-year period facilitated mutual learning and practical application. this indicates that policy-makers can get substantial applied value from systems thinking when they are involved in extended co-production processes that target policy impact and are supported by responsive capacity strategies.
a bit of a wander
decisions in one realm have ripple effects in others. public programs need to reflect that reality.
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 ...
a systems thinking approach to public health policy development is essential as it ensures there has been a thorough investigation into the dynamic complexit...
in recent years, there has been a marked rise in the use of systems thinking approaches in uk policy making institutions, especially in environmental domains. to better understand practice
browsing the daily news headlines might lead one to conclude that we live in an era ruled by populism, fear, and misinformation. in reality, over the past…
systems thinking for better social policy: a case study in financial wellbeing
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 […]
this post forms one part of the policy analysis in 750 words series overview and connects to previous posts on complexity. the first 750 words tick along nicely, then there is a picture of a cat ha…
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.
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...
in november 2022, the centre for science and policy delivered a series of policy workshops on how to apply systems thnking to policy making. these workshops brought together policy makers and experts to discuss health systems, physical infrastructure, and conflict.
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.
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.
a systems thinking approach is essential for public health policy development, offering a framework to navigate the dynamic complexities inherent in public health issues. this methodology enables policymakers to comprehend the interconnections ...
context knowledge mobilisation (km) is a vital strategy in efforts to improve public health policy and practice. linear models describing knowledge transfer and translation have moved towards multi-directional and complexity-attuned approaches where knowledge is produced and becomes meaningful through social processes. there are calls for systems approaches to km but little guidance on how this can be operationalised. this paper describes the contribution that systems thinking can make to km and provides guidance about how to put it into action. methods we apply a model of systems thinking (which focuses on leveraging change in complex systems) to eight km practices empirically identified by others. we describe how these models interact and draw out some key learnings for applying systems thinking practically to km in public health policy and practice. examples of empirical studies, tools and targeted strategies are provided. findings systems thinking can enhance and fundamentally transform km. it upholds a pluralistic view of knowledge as informed by multiple parts of the system and reconstituted through use. mobilisation is conceived as a situated, non-prescriptive and potentially destabilising practice, no longer conceptualised as a discrete piece of work within wider efforts to strengthen public health but as integral to and in continual dialogue with those efforts. a systems approach to km relies on contextual understanding, collaborative practices, addressing power imbalances and adaptive learning that responds to changing interactions between mobilisation activities and context. conclusion systems thinking offers valuable perspectives, tools and strategies to better understand complex problems in their settings and for strengthening km practice. we make four suggestions for further developing empirical evidence and debate about how systems thinking can enhance our capacity to mobilise knowledge for solving complex problems – (1) be specific about what is meant by ‘systems thinking’, (2) describe counterfactual km scenarios so the added value of systems thinking is clearer, (3) widen conceptualisations of impact when evaluating km, and (4) use methods that can track how and where knowledge is mobilised in complex systems.
cross-industry support for a new systems thinking report will help the built environment sector to deliver joined-up approaches with better results for people, places and planet, says mott macdonald’s global cities lead and fellow, clare wildfire.
alyx slater from food standards agency reflects on why systems thinking is an essential component of policy design.
posts about systems thinking written by lancingfarrell