SYSTEMS THINKING FOR EVERYONE

Credit: Magic Eye

DO

YOU

SEE

WH

AT I S

EE?

Credit: Magic Eye

MAGIC EYE

“Focus as though you are looking through the

image into the distance…

very slowly move the image away from your face...the hidden image will magically appear…

good luck!”

“everything is deeply

intertwingled”

Ted Nelson (1974)

Credit: Laemeur

Credit: Magic Eye

WHAT IS A SYSTEMS THINKER?

- Sees the whole picture- Changes perspectives to see new leverage points in complex systems- Looks for interdependencies- Considers how mental models create our futures- Pays attention to and gives voice to the long-term- “Goes wide” (uses peripheral vision) to see complex cause and effect

relationships- Finds where unanticipated consequences emerge- Focuses on structure, not on blame- Holds the tension of paradox and controversy without trying to resolve it

quickly- Makes systems visible through maps and models- Watches for win/lose mindsets, knowing they usually make matters worse

in situations of high interdependence- Sees oneself as part of, not outside of, the system

The System Thinking Playbook

4STEPS TO

SYSTEMS THINKING WIZARDRY

1.PRIME THE BRAIN

Credit: Spartwolf117

1. PRIME THE BRAIN

WE ARE IRRATIONAL

1. PRIME THE BRAIN

Credit: Dave Smith, Centre for Mathematical Biology

PLAY GAMES

1. PRIME THE BRAIN

Credit: Joel Avery, Noun Project

DIV

ER

GEN

T T

HIN

KIN

G

5 WHYs

1. PRIME THE BRAIN

Credit: Gustav Salomonsson

1. PRIME THE BRAIN

RO

LE P

LAY

1. PRIME THE BRAIN

RO

LE P

LAY

1. PRIME THE BRAIN

2. EMBRACE COMPLEXITY

DIS

CO

VER

MO

RE

Credit: Caters News Agency

2. EMBRACE COMPLEXITY

WORSE BEFORE BETTER

Credit: NBC News

2. EMBRACE COMPLEXITY

3. CO-CREATE

A.K.A. BE GENEROUS; SHARE THE POWER

HO

W M

IGH

T W

E...?

3. CO-CREATE

DESIGN SPRINT

How might we…create an intuitive and supportive enrollment experience that aligns with student and institutional goals?

3. CO-CREATE

Monday - Understand

Tuesday - Diverge

Wednesday - Decide

Thursday - Prototype

Friday - Test

UN

DER

STA

ND

3. CO-CREATE

UN

DER

STA

ND

3. CO-CREATE

Alex Laurel

DIVERGE

3. CO-CREATE

DIVERGE

3. CO-CREATE

3. CO-CREATE

DECIDE

PR

OTO

TYPE

3. CO-CREATE

Credit: Keir Serrie

3. CO-CREATE

TEST

4. BUILD TRUST

4. BUILD TRUST

Credits: Jan-Kanty Pawelski, Alina Alvarez, NounProject

1.PRIME THE BRAIN

2.EMBRACE COMPLEXITY

3.CO-CREATE

4.BUILD TRUST

PER

SPEC

TIV

E

Credit: Octavio Ocampo, WikiArt

RESOURCES

The Systems Thinking Playbook, Sweeney/Meadows

Role-playing the Interaction, Stephen Anderson

Just Enough Research, Erika Hall

Co-designing resources, Service Design Tools

The Secret Phrase Top Innovators Use, HBR

Design Sprint Resources, Google Ventures