In my previous post, "Beginner's guide to systems thinking that can help you broaden your perspective toward life," I covered the fundamental aspects of systems thinking that can be leveraged in daily life, directly or indirectly. This post goes a step further into how to actually implement those fundamentals.
Systems thinking is growing as the world moves toward globalization. The world is more hyperconnected than it has ever been. A small piece of information can travel from one end of the globe to another in seconds.
The world has become a collective body of systems that function in a particular order. Our education systems, healthcare, governing bodies. It is more necessary than ever to understand a few fundamentals of systems thinking. It helps you tap into a dimension where vision alone is not enough.
Here are a few of the many ways to implement systems thinking, whether you are an entrepreneur, a student, a writer, or anyone else.
1. Think non-linearly
The basic difference between linear and non-linear systems is that a non-linear system's output is not proportional to its input. There are processes in between that magnify or reduce the output based on feedback loops.
If you observe, most fundamental parts of systems are non-linear.
Linear thinking is straightforward thinking. It puts you in a default state of not thinking much about the activity and going with the masses. It is led by the fear of activated emotions.
When you are dealing with the outside world, non-linear thinking comes in handy. It extracts information from patterns you've observed, uses positive or negative feedback, and modifies the process to get a well-defined output catered to your requirements.
Note that linear thinking is not inherently anti-proactive. Both types of thinking can be useful in certain situations at certain times. Non-linear thinking goes off-track, questions traditions, and comes out with a methodical solution.
2. Look out for patterns, structures, and hierarchies
To find non-linearity, look for patterns, structures, and hierarchies. They help you understand the holistic view of any situation. Systems mapping is important.
Patterns can be defined as the regularities we see everywhere around us. If we understand patterns, we can predict the future. We can make theories and assumptions that take us from unclear and blurry situations to a clear path.
A lot of your current habits are the reflection of your past self. If you change the way you think now, your future self will be grateful.
3. Think feedback loops as checkpoints
The best way to change long-term behavior is with short-term feedback. — Seth Godin
Feedback loops help us enhance or minimize the input continuously. There are three major steps.
Step 1: Quantify. We can measure data. If it is unmeasurable, it is non-existent. Identify patterns if there are any. Once we understand patterns, we can track data to keep a record. If there's any system failure in the future, you know where the root causes lie. More data leads to greater accuracy.
Step 2: Contrast. Once the information is quantified and stored, it can be compared with other relevant versions. We can then choose an efficient path. Comparisons work because patterns are visible after observing tracked data.
Step 3: Iterate. Act on the new findings you've got through quantifying and contrasting. Iterate quickly to close the gap between the desired and actual level. Iterations keep the feedback loop tightly knit.
An example. I am a passionate driver. I want to save time and pick the shortest path between place A and place Z. There are three potential paths. I check Google Maps for distance and time. Path 2 looks shortest, so I conclude path 2 is the best.
On the way, I discover potholes on path 2. A lot of them. It takes me double the time to reach Z. More than the longest path would have taken.
Conclusion. Even if path 2 is the shortest, it may have other system failures that are not yet noticed.
Solution. The next day, returning, I choose path 3. It was the longest, but the road was smooth and I got back on time.
When it comes to systems, failures can be opportunistic. According to Nassim Taleb's Antifragile, a failure in a system helps the system become stronger. An airplane crash demonstrates a failure in a system. You avoid making the same problems in the future if you can track the pattern. If the same crash happened later, the impact and the loss would be greater.
Every feedback loop comes with cause and effect. They are managed through studying patterns.
4. Study how systems interact
A small system is a subset of a larger system. Every smaller system has some role or impact on the larger one. If we ensure less friction between the two systems while they interact, the processes get smoother and the time to finish a task drops.
For example, having a sustainable mindset reflects in your actions. When you pull out your glass straw or pick up litter and throw it in a garbage can, you set an example. People start admiring their own actions, and slowly it influences the mass.
If two major systems with high efficiency interact, the output is much greater than it was before managing the system. The chances of system failure in such cases are also manageable if everything is properly scripted first and documented later.
In short
Fragmented systems. Local actions have global impact. To make systems run efficiently on a larger scale, fragment them and find more efficient ways to systematize each part. Micro-manage small systems so larger systems are streamlined.
Interconnectedness. Find the connection between input, output, and processes.
Systems mapping. Look out for patterns, structures, and hierarchies, so you can break the system and reform it in a more sustainable way.
Feedback loops. Balance the feedback loop to bring a system into equilibrium, and top it up with reinforcing feedback loops to magnify the outcome. Checkpoints matter. This can be done through documenting and tracking information.
Non-linear thinking. Rather than itching the surface and expecting relevant output, go deep down to the root cause of the problem and eliminate it from there.
Systems are actively functioning everywhere around us as well as within us. It is important to identify where, when, and how you want to tweak the processes. Iterate and repeat.
Originally published on Medium's ILLUMINATION, October 2020.
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