{"id":4462,"date":"2022-07-01T08:19:50","date_gmt":"2022-07-01T08:19:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/codewaveinsdev.wpengine.com\/?p=4462"},"modified":"2023-08-01T14:53:22","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T14:53:22","slug":"systems-thinking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/codewave.com\/insights\/systems-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"Design Thinking & Systems Thinking: The Slice & the Whole"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Design thinking<\/span> helps us solve problems innovatively \u2013 by empathizing with people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what if your solution requires, say, cutting down a large number of trees to build an express highway<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would you consider possible consequences of this action on the environment?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the ecological impacts<\/span> could be that \u2013 animals & birds losing their natural habitat may start migrating to a place where threats of new viruses spreading from animals to humans are higher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where \u201cSystems Thinking<\/span><\/strong>\u201d comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Design thinking<\/span> helps you focus on a \u201cslice\u201d, Systems thinking<\/span> reminds you to focus on the \u201cwhole\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It gives you a way to think about the larger social, economic & ecological impact of your solution. In short, the connection between various slices and the whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking a few steps back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a System? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A system consists of several interconnected parts, interdependent on each other, cohesively working together to form a whole, existing to fulfill a larger purpose \u2013 and the sum is always greater than the parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A System<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For example, the human body is a sophisticated system, consisting of several subsystems \/ parts with highly complex connections, relationships and interdependencies, working together to keep you alive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have a headache, a solution could be taking a painkiller which can bring local relief. But what if the same painkiller could also numb your senses & affect your ability to see? Would you still take it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you solve for one part, it is important to understand the impact the solution can have on the system, at large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSystems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing \u2018patterns of change\u2019 rather than \u2018static snapshots.\u201d \u2013 Peter Senge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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System Thinking<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the business world, Design thinking<\/strong> helps you solve \u201cspecific\u201d user problems, in the most human centric way. Say, simplifying payments or improving access to healthcare or changing how people learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Systems thinking<\/strong> \u2013 will broaden the perspective on how your solution can affect other stakeholders involved in the value chain, other participants in the industry & the ecosystem, at large. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example \u2013 How would having temporary pop-up vaccination centers in the city affect peak time taxi charges & transportation services?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CROSS-PLATFORM DESIGN GUIDE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to be a Systems thinker<\/span>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, a Systems thinker wears a \u201cSystems Mindset<\/strong>\u201d to curiously probe and understand how various parts of a system interact, how the relationship between the parts are & how changes on one, positively\/negatively affect the other parts and subsequently the overall system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

System thinkers \u2013 can effortlessly switch between thinking  \u201cMacro\u201d (The Big Picture) and thinking \u201cMicro\u201d (The Gory Detail) and put ideas in motion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continuously prototyping ideas is critical, else one can get stuck in ideation for too long (analysis paralysis). This is where Design thinking comes to rescue \u2013 by steering your focus towards \u201cwhat people want\u201d and how we can start somewhere and iteratively get better at giving them what they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Systems Thinking Mindset<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For example \u2013 imagine the Healthcare system. When you\u2019re building a new hospital, you\u2019d list down obvious users you want to address: Patients, Doctors, Nurses, Hospital administrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we take a step back \u2013 and ask ourselves: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho are the other participants in the economy, who is likely to get involved & impacted?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may end up listing down more users like \u2013 Diagnostics providers, Pharmacy services, Paramedical support services, Insurance providers, NGOs, Government, Real-estate builders, Bed & breakfast providers, Cafeteria brands and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re no longer thinking about the obvious users of the product\/service \u2013 but also about not so obvious participants in the industry & economy, who are likely to be affected by your product\/service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SAAS UX REVAMP<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is System Mapping<\/span>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

System Mapping \u2013 is a helpful technique to identify all possible stakeholders in the society & economy to  understand the relationships between them. It gives you & your team a big picture view of how solving a specific user problem can have an impact on the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is an illustration of \u201cConnected circles\u201d showing  connections & dependencies between various parts of the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Systems Mapping<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

System Mapping also pushes you to observe a \u201cseries of behaviors & patterns\u201d rather than being biased by a single event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, in a hospital system \u2013 if a surgeon misses a step in a procedure, it\u2019s not enough that the respective surgeon is warned\/punished for a one time miss, it\u2019s important to correct this at a system level, so no matter who is doing it in future \u2013 the risks are eliminated and the system is fool-proof & reliable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Systems thinking is understanding patterns of behaviors, series of events, underlying structures that influence behavior and the assumptions\/biases that led to these structures in the first place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because every action has a consequence and everything is interconnected, there\u2019s merit in drilling down to the most fundamental assumption that led to a behavior, which further led to a pattern of events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Types of System Mapping<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Design thinking can fall short, if you\u2019re failing to consider the consequences of your solution on the society, economy and nature, at large. Design thinking and System thinking, can help you solve problems innovatively by empathizing with people and push you to consider sustainable alternatives, which can create an enduring system that prevails above all else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connect with Design thinkers & System thinkers at Codewave<\/a>, for creating holistic solutions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CONNECT WITH DESIGN THINKERS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Design thinking helps us solve problems innovatively \u2013 by empathizing with people. Great! But what if your solution requires,…\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":4478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"full","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nDesign Thinking & Systems Thinking: The Slice & the Whole<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is a System? How to be a Systems thinker? What is System Mapping? 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