This approach sees each problem as linked to others. Relationships between system elements are its main focus. Systems thinking goes past one-time occurrences.
Government policies usually face complex and connected issues. Traditional approaches may not see all links among issues. Systems thinking helps policymakers see the bigger picture.
This approach helps governments spot underlying problems. This knowledge produces more successful results. Systems thinking helps prevent unwanted side effects.
It leads to more cross-departmental teamwork. Silos are eliminated in government by systems thinking. This improves communication and coordination.
It lifts the quality of decision making. This approach aids in forecasting results. Sustainable solutions are easier to create.
Governments worldwide are adopting systems thinking. Adaptability is encouraged through systems thinking. It is useful for managing complex problems.
It makes governments more agile. Past experiences guide future decisions. Adaptation is easier with this approach.
Policies are stronger against disruptions. Governments can prevent problems sooner. It encourages future-oriented policies.
This approach encourages the use of feedback and evaluation. Policymakers can adjust policies based on real-world outcomes. It creates ongoing progress.
It applies to every part of policy creation. Systems thinking is helpful in every phase. It ensures enduring policy impact.
Systems thinking values community input. It helps governments understand the needs of diverse communities. Fairness is improved through this approach.
Systems thinking challenges old ways. Systems thinking prevents recurring issues. Improvement is ongoing.
Difficult problems are tackled. Creative answers are found. It helps with challenges such as health and the environment.
Diverse views are included. Stakeholder involvement is encouraged. Balanced policies are produced.
Learning is required for this approach. Investment in training is beneficial. Staff are ready for complex issues.
Limited funds are used well. Effective solutions are identified. Wise use of funds is promoted.
Results are measured effectively. It supports measurable objectives. Policy effects are easier to follow.
Decisions are clearer to the public. Dialogue with citizens increases. Citizens trust government more.
Better policies result from this approach. It leads to robust and fair solutions. All policy areas can use this approach.
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.
by catherine hobbs and gerald midgley systems leadership involves organisations, including governments, collaborating to address complex issues and achieve necessary systemic transformations. so, i…
there is much to be said for systems thinking or a systems-informed approach to key tasks such as evaluation. if the policy problem is complex, then we would not expect a single shot solution to wo…
posts about systems thinking written by lancingfarrell
a systems thinking approach to public health policy development is essential as it ensures there has been a thorough investigation into the dynamic complexit...
new ideas for improving policy making cannot mask the shortfall in funding that many public services are facing.
join our online event to explore the basics of systems thinking and why it
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…
by catherine hobbs and gerald midgley. originally published on the integration and implementation in
background systems thinking approaches are increasingly being used by communities to address complex chronic disease. this paper reports on the vichealth local government partnership (vlgp) which sought to co-create improvements in the health and well-being of children and young people by working with local government in victoria, australia. methods the vlgp included a series of health promotion modules, aimed at creating policy, programme and practice changes across local government. one of these modules, connecting the dots – creating solutions for lasting change, aimed to build capacity for systems thinking in municipal public health and well-being planning across 13 councils. the approach was adapted and data were collected on the stimuli for, and results of, adaptation. results the council adapted the systems thinking approach to meet geographic characteristics, priority health issue/s and participant target group needs. adaptions applied to workshop materials, training delivery, existing and new resources, and to align with other community-based approaches. stimuli for adaptation included the covid-19 pandemic, needs of children and young people, capacity of council to deliver the workshop series, and time available within the project or for the participant group. conclusions systems thinking was used and adapted by councils to improve the health and well-being of children and young people and increase the voices of children and young people in decision-making. flexible delivery is critical to ensure communities can adapt the approach to meet local needs.
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.
the challenges facing government tend to be mutlifacted, complex, chronic, social, economic and environmental, and their causes and potential solutions are typically unobvious, suggests paul kett, director general at the department for education. as part of csap's 2020 annual virtual conference, we explored how systems thinking can help government seek solutions to wicked problems.
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.
| in praise of systems thinking: what are “systems thinking” and “system dynamics”?
systems thinking has seen growing popularity in current times. with world events such as the covid-19 pandemic, the ukraine war, the macro-economic uncertainty in the developed world, and the climate emergency, governments, industries, nonprofits, and education institutions have come to realize that
by catherine hobbs why does public policy go wrong? how can researchers who are systems thinkers begin to create the conditions in which those involved in public policy may flourish within their po…
this blog launches “systemic” – a game that simulates how policy-making systems function and possible shifts that can be made to improve policy outcomes. systemic has been inspired by the world of board games, and was co-created by policy lab
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.
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 a world of rapid change and complex challenges, governments are increasingly recognizing the need to think ahead, plan better, and work together. the ministry of finance, national planning and trade of seychelles realized the potential of strategic foresight and systems thinking for adopting a more integrated approach to strategic planning. what started as a collaboration between the government of seychelles, the resident coordinator office (rco) for mauritius and seychelles in 2022, the united nations department of economic and social affairs (un desa), and unitar, is gradually evolving into a way of working for the ministry.
systems thinking very much has a role to play across all government priorities.
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.
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.
increased systems thinking capacity—that is, the capacity to consider systemic effects of policies and actions—is necessary for translating knowledge on sustainable development goals’ (sdgs) interactions into practice. various models and tools that seek to support more evidence-based policy-making have been developed with the purpose of exploring system effects across sdgs. however, these often lack integration of behavioral aspects and contextual factors that influence the decision-making process. we analyze three applications of a decision-support approach called sdg synergies, which aims at building capacity in systems thinking among decision-makers and implementing agencies. our objective is to explore how behavior and context influences whether and how knowledge is taken up and acted upon when making decisions. drawing on empirical material from mongolia, colombia, and sri lanka, we identify three sets of mechanisms that appear important for enabling more systemic thinking: system boundaries (time, scale, and space), rules of engagement (ownership, representation, and purpose), and biases (confirmation biases and participation biases). results highlight some key challenges for systemic thinking that merit further attention in future applications, including the importance of localizing sdgs and incorporating this knowledge to national-level assessments, an unwillingness of stakeholders to acknowledge trade-offs, the challenge of addressing transformational as opposed to incremental change, and striking a balance between the flexibility of the approach vis-à-vis scientific robustness.
systems thinking for better social policy: a case study in financial wellbeing
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.
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 […]
“the covid-19 pandemic has shown what governments can do when faced with an existential threat……”
systems thinking, a holistic approach to problem-solving, offers a powerful lens to navigate today’s interconnected world,
alyx slater from food standards agency reflects on why systems thinking is an essential component of policy design.
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 ...
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…