What is a system?
A system is a collection of parts that work together to achieve a common goal. The parts can be physical objects, activities, or ideas.
Where did the word system come from?
The modern word system comes originally from the Ancient Greek word sustēma meaning “organized whole”. This word sustema (σύστημα ) came together from the words sun- which meant “with, together” and histanai which meant “to cause to stand”, or “set up”. The Ancient Greek language existed from 1500 to 300 BC.
The first recording of the word system in the Oxford English Dictionary was in the 1580’s. It was also noted in the early 1600’s as the French word systeme, and Late Latin word systema. At that time it meant “the whole creation, the universe” possibly in association with its early use in the subject of astronomy. For the next close to 400 years, frequency of use of the word system remained low as it gradually expanded into new subjects areas. Over this period it accumulated 31 meanings in 15 different fields beginning in music, ancient Greek history, astronomy, literature, and seen later in anatomy, plant physiology, taxonomy, prosody, hairdressing, betting, crystals, geology, weather, metal industry, and most recently in computing.
A sudden and significant rise in its frequency of use occurs around 1960 corresponding to the time that General Systems Theory was presented by biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy and others who introduced models, principles and laws that apply to systems in general.
What is systems thinking?
“Systems thinking is a way of understanding systems by looking at the relationships between the parts of the system rather than the parts themselves. Using a systems thinking approach can help people explore and develop effective actions in complex situations.” (AI generated definition has been reviewed)
Who coined the term systems thinking?
Barry Richmond is credited with coining the term systems thinking in 1987. He lived during a period in the 20th century in which a cluster of academic pioneers were expanding applications of the theoretical foundations of system science in the physical and social sciences. Barry drew particular attention to the symbol-based language of stock-and-flow Jay Forrester had invented to diagram his system dynamics models. Barry thought the visual simplicity and wide applicability of this new symbol-based language could “make thinking visible” and facilitate communicating about dynamic and relational concepts.
Barry developed a series of twelve systems thinking skills which remains one of the widely used approaches to problem solving and storytelling using systems thinking skills. He also introduced the term global systems thinking citizen as he envisioned a world-wide community of people using systems thinking skills.
Here is a definition of systems thinking by Barry Richmond:
“Systems Thinking is the art and science of making reliable inferences about behavior by developing an increasingly deep understanding of underlying structure”.
Systems Thinking, Design Thinking, Critical Thinking
The venn diagram below illustrates a way one can view the thinking skills that are developed distinctively in each of Systems Thinking, Design Thinking, and Critical Thinking. These three disciplines arose in similar time periods yet independently of each other during the latter half of the 20th century. They had each been inspired by a small group of highly motivated multidisciplinary thinkers who themselves were from diverse educational backgrounds. They each created a set of teaching methods designed to help citizens build personal thinking skills more consciously. In short, they taught people how to think more independently for themselves and in conversation with others. Practiced over time these thinking skills can enhance one’s ability to listen to others more actively, ponder new information more critically and creatively, and express oneself more authentically and with greater regard for others.
This diagram is a static representation of what is really a dynamic relationship between Design Thinking, Critical Thinking and Systems Thinking. By placing yourself at any starting point in the diagram you can begin to mentally trace your journey through your preferred regions of the diagram. While everyone’s path is unique and can at times feel like an emotional roller coaster, there are several intersections where you can rest, relax and enjoy being with others to remind yourself that you are never really alone on your journey!
“In summary, systems thinking, critical thinking, and design thinking complement each other beautifully in tackling complex problems. Systems thinking provides a framework for understanding the broader context, critical thinking sharpens the analytical tools needed to evaluate ideas and evidence, and design thinking drives innovation through empathy and creative problem solving. Together, they create a robust toolkit for addressing multifaceted challenges in various domains.” (AI generated, reviewed and adapted)