EVERYTHING IS A SYSTEM

A system is “what” we are thinking about or deciding upon. 

 

A system can be defined as a set of components interacting as part of a unified whole to produce an outcome, and by this definition almost everything around us can be considered a system.   A car, the human body, a family, the government, a business, the economy, the climate are all systems.  Some are considered simple systems since the outcome from an action is predictable, but others are considered complex systems since the outcome from an action is uncertain. And most of the non-trivial things we give thought to or must decide upon are uncertain, and therefore involve complex systems. 

 

An understanding whether a system is simple or complex is foundational since they have different characteristics and require different ways of thinking.  Quick and intuitive thinking and decision-making works fine for simple systems, but not for complex systems. 

 

Systems Thinking entails having an understanding of the key characteristics of complex systems, such as unintended consequences, time lags, and entropy, to name just three, so that one can better understand, and make better decisions on complex topics or situations. The characteristics are present in all complex systems, and therefore Systems Thinking can be a applied effectively to any complex system.