Systems Thinking

we live in systems. How can we better approach problem solving and design through thinking in systems?

Complexity can be tamed, but it requires considerable effort to do it well. Decreasing the number of buttons and displays is not the solution. The solution is to understand the total system, to design it in a way that allows all the pieces fit nicely together, so that initial learning as well as usage are both optimal. Years ago, Larry Tesler, then... See more

Don Norman • Living with Complexity (MIT Press)

Choosing to adopt minimalistic design does not necessarily mean deep understanding of the system. But some stellar understanding of the universe of systems thinking is often times minimal to demonstrate the core nodes

Donella Meadows’ definition of systems: a set of **interrelated** elements **organized** to serve a particular function or to seek a particular goal.

The concept of wholeness is integral to a systems thinking approach. A system is more than the sum of its parts—it's defined by the interaction of its parts. To understand how a system works, you have to study not the individual elements but the linkages between them. When you start thinking in systems, you can then spot opportunities for change. B... See more

Systems Thinking vs Design Thinking, What’s the Difference?

Basic principle of relationship between the nodes as the key to understanding systems.

Ideas related to this collection