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SystemsThinking

SystemsThinking is a general term for dealing with interrelatedness among things that happen. It got a lot of its modern impetus from work with cybernetic controls, driven in part by artillery targeting systems in WWII. SystemsThinking has however been part of scientific discovery and literature, mainly satire and irony, long before there was math for it. Actually most SystemsThinking models can be expressed as systems of linear differential equations - often not usefully, but it can be done.

Another way to define SystemsThinking is to look at a lot of engineering disciplines, areas of applied math, and organization and government, that describe dynamic processes with multiple measures, and maybe multiple actors. Then generalize. "These descriptions are all instances of a general model called SystemsThinking."

Most interesting to me is applying systems type models (mainly refined in the physical sciences) to human systems. You uncover all kinds of interesting effects - non obvious from other models. In fact, this was theme for my guest appearance at David Socha's CSE403 at U-Washington. One of his class noted in her journal that she used a Diagram of Effects to untangle an organizational problem at a charity where she volunteered. That seems to be a victory of sorts.

If I get motivated enough to put the course notes on my web site (the one that isn't up yet) I'll include a link here. Until then, the inventory of SystemsThinking books I've found useful will have to wait. There's some kind of feedback effect out there, about getting paid, and liking good wine.

We are fortunate to have among us one of the better authors on this topic, JerryWeinberg. Jerry authored or coauthored a couple books used as texts on the subject. He also based his software engineering series, QSM, on system models and feedback effects. It doesn't get all that much attention, even from fans of JerryWeinberg's work, but I believe QSM is definitive in the areas it addresses.

- JimBullock, 17-Sept-2002

• Coming from left field, as I often do, I think that SystemsThinking is a subset of CulturalThinking. Expand the view of connectedness and you can read about Carl Orff's ideas about musical scales and their mathematical relationship; many writers, artists, musicians and playwrights influenced by the politics and ecconomics of their time; artists experimenting with technology (like Aaron which I think was the first program built by an artist to paint pictures prompting the question: who is the painter - Aaron or his creator?). This doesn't even begin to connect the many other related disciplines. I bet cooking has a lot to do with cultural awareness and technology, too. And, vice versa -take Iron Chef!
  
  
• As I have become more clear about the relationship of Systems and Culture, I value the perspectives that Dani Weinberg has contributed, in addition to Jerry's modeling what a systems thinker and cultural thinker can do.
  
  
• Your course notes sound interesting!
  
  
• There's some kind of feedback effect out there, about getting paid, and liking good wine. I suspect that DonGray and I would like to hear more about this, and maybe others!

- BeckyWinant Sept 17.02