What exactly is systems thinking? In simplest terms, systems thinking is a way of seeing and talking about reality that helps us better understand and work with systems to influence the quality of our lives. In this sense, systems thinking can be seen as a perspective. It also involves a unique vocabulary for describing systemic behavior, and so can be thought of as a language as well. And, because it offers a range of techniques and devices for visually capturing and communicating about systems, it is a set of tools.

 

     For anyone who is new to systems thinking, the best way to “get your feet wet” is to first learn about the defining characteristics of systems; in short, what is a system? But to be a true systems thinker, you also need to know how systems fit into the larger context of day-to-day life, how they behave, and how to manage them.