Strategy Survival Guide

simulate system behaviour. (Note that the model’s usefulness will be limited by the difficulty of
meaningfully defining a mathematical algorithm for each influence or relationship).
• This approach is best used for designing and testing interventions, rather than designing systems.
Strengths
• Systems thinking can generate new insights into the drivers of a dynamically complex issue.
• The systems approach provides a powerful way for project teams to establish a shared agenda for
addressing a problem. It allows development of consensus and ownership, leading to shared
commitment to decision making.
• It ensures feedback loops are recognised and incorporated into policy design.
• The systems approach provides a powerful way for project teams to reach a shared understanding
of how a system operates.
Weaknesses
• It is very easy to overcomplicate the system map and lose the key insights. It is important to focus on
the key feedback loops and cut out the less important links.
• The process can be significantly undermined by team members who:
• dislike the approach and are out to prove it does not work
• are committed to a prior solution or who are fixated on finding "a solution"
• have hidden agendas that they are unwilling to disclose.
References
“Systems Failure” by Jake Chapman (Demos)
Checkland, P "Systems Thinking, Systems Practice", Wiley, 1981
Checkland, P and Scholes,J, "Soft Systems Methodology in Action", Wiley 1990 which provides a thorough
update of the methodology together with several extended examples.
"Practical Soft Systems Analysis" by D.Patching, FT Prentice Hall 1990 provides a simple step by step
introduction
"The emergent properties of SSM in Use: A symposium by reflective practitioners" by P.Checkland et al,
Systemic Practice and Action Research, 13(6) p.799 2000 contains personal accounts of experience in the
use of SSM in a wide range of contexts.
The Mind Tools website provides an introduction to system thinking and the behaviour of feedback loops.
Rich Pictures are another creative way of representing systems.
"Systems Thinking: a practice guide" by Business Dynamics, IBM Business Consulting Services
(trevor.cooper@uk.ibm.com)
Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modelling for a Complex World . By John Sterman
Systems Thinking, is The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning
Organisation.
Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Skills
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