Understanding Wicked Problems and Systems Thinking

 
Systems thinking and
research assessment – how
might we work with wicked
problems?
 
Lou Woodley
Director – Center for Scientific Collaboration
and Community Engagement
 
louwoodley@cscce.org
@LouWoodley
Why is change so hard?
 
Culture change
…is often a “wicked” problem:
Requires 
addressing the 
whole
 system
Likely involves addressing 
multiple
 
underlying structural elements
Requires 
more than one intervention 
 strategies that target a single issue are
unlikely to be effective alone
Has multiple 
interconnected elements
One size doesn’t fit all 
 need to 
understand the contexts 
in which we’re
working
 
Ever feel like you’re playing whack-a-mole with a system at equilibrium?
Where does systems
thinking come in?
 
 
Systems Thinking
 
…is an approach that encourages us to a take a more holistic or systemic view of
how different factors relate to one another 
within a whole.
 
 
Encourages us to move away from a focus on individual events or simplistic
cause and effect scenarios to focus on the bigger picture
Allows us to see multiple components in relationship at once
Can indicate inputs we may have missed
May make it easier to understand delays – or escalations - in the system
Can suggest points of leverage for interventions
 
How do we adopt a systems perspective?
 
 
Three shifts are required to get to a systems
perspective:
 
BIG PICTURE 
- Move from focusing only on our part
of the system to seeing more of the whole system.
 
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY 
- Move from hoping
others will change first to identifying where we
have agency to change ourselves.
 
SYSTEMS STRUCTURE 
- Move from focusing on
individual events (fires, crises) to understanding
and redesigning the deeper systems structures that
cause these events.
 
- “Thinking in Systems” by Donella Meadows
 
Two ways to start working
with systems thinking
 
  
1. Systems archetypes
Systems Archetype: Success to
the Successful -“rich get richer”
 
Tips and Diagnostic Questions
Diagnostic Question:
 Why was the system
constructed to have just one winner? Can teams
be encouraged to collaborate instead of compete?
Diagnostic Question: 
Are there incentive
structures in place that force competition where
an organization desires collaboration?
Key
S arrows 
 
indicates a causal link where change in the first item results in a change
in the second in the same direction.
O arrows 
 indicates a causal link where a change in the first item results in a
change in the second item in the opposite direction
R loop
 – a “reinforcing” feedback loop that amplifies change
 
Two ways to start working
with systems thinking
 
  
2. The iceberg model
 
The Systems Thinking Iceberg
 
 
Exercise
Start at the top of the iceberg, by
describing a current challenge that
you’re encountering
Work down the iceberg asking each of
the questions in turn to undercover
the mental models/values supporting
the status quo
 
 
 
 
See also:
https://socialinsilico.wordpress.com/2017/11/27/rea
ding-for-leading-14-exploring-the-iceberg/
 
Events
What just
happened?
 
Patterns/Trends
What’s happened over
time?
 
Underlying Structures
How do the parts relate? What’s
influenced the trend?
 
Mental Models
What assumptions and beliefs are keeping
the system in place?
 
Further reading
 
 
Thinking in Systems 
 Donella Meadows
 
The Fifth Discipline
 
 Peter Senge
 
Systems Thinking for Social Change 
 Peter Stroh
 
The 
Systems Thinker 
website: 
https://thesystemsthinker.com
 
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Change is challenging, especially within complex systems. To address wicked problems effectively, we must embrace systems thinking, which offers a holistic view to tackle interconnected issues. Systems thinking requires shifts in perspective and encourages a deeper understanding of system structures. By adopting a systems perspective, we can identify leverage points for interventions and enhance our problem-solving capabilities.


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  1. Systems thinking and research assessment how might we work with wicked problems? Lou Woodley Director Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement louwoodley@cscce.org @LouWoodley

  2. Why is change so hard? Culture change is often a wicked problem: Requires addressing the whole system Likely involves addressing multipleunderlying structural elements Requires more than one intervention strategies that target a single issue are unlikely to be effective alone Has multiple interconnected elements One size doesn t fit all need to understand the contexts in which we re working Ever feel like you re playing whack-a-mole with a system at equilibrium? DORA / HHMI Research Assessment meeting October 2019

  3. Where does systems thinking come in? Systems Thinking is an approach that encourages us to a take a more holistic or systemic view of how different factors relate to one another within a whole. Encourages us to move away from a focus on individual events or simplistic cause and effect scenarios to focus on the bigger picture Allows us to see multiple components in relationship at once Can indicate inputs we may have missed May make it easier to understand delays or escalations - in the system Can suggest points of leverage for interventions DORA / HHMI Research Assessment meeting October 2019

  4. How do we adopt a systems perspective? Three shifts are required to get to a systems perspective: BIG PICTURE - Move from focusing only on our part of the system to seeing more of the whole system. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY - Move from hoping others will change first to identifying where we have agency to change ourselves. SYSTEMS STRUCTURE - Move from focusing on individual events (fires, crises) to understanding and redesigning the deeper systems structures that cause these events. - Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows DORA / HHMI Research Assessment meeting October 2019

  5. Two ways to start working with systems thinking 1. Systems archetypes

  6. Systems Archetype: Success to the Successful - rich get richer Success of A Success of B s s s o Tips and Diagnostic Questions Diagnostic Question: Why was the system constructed to have just one winner? Can teams be encouraged to collaborate instead of compete? Allocation to A instead of B R2 R1 Diagnostic Question: Are there incentive structures in place that force competition where an organization desires collaboration? Resources to B Resources to A s o Key S arrows indicates a causal link where change in the first item results in a change in the second in the same direction. O arrows indicates a causal link where a change in the first item results in a change in the second item in the opposite direction R loop a reinforcing feedback loop that amplifies change DORA / HHMI Research Assessment meeting October 2019

  7. Two ways to start working with systems thinking 2. The iceberg model

  8. The Systems Thinking Iceberg Exercise Start at the top of the iceberg, by describing a current challenge that you re encountering Work down the iceberg asking each of the questions in turn to undercover the mental models/values supporting the status quo Events What just happened? Patterns/Trends What s happened over time? Underlying Structures How do the parts relate? What s influenced the trend? Mental Models See also: https://socialinsilico.wordpress.com/2017/11/27/rea ding-for-leading-14-exploring-the-iceberg/ What assumptions and beliefs are keeping the system in place? DORA / HHMI Research Assessment meeting October 2019

  9. Further reading Thinking in Systems Donella Meadows The Fifth Discipline Peter Senge Systems Thinking for Social Change Peter Stroh The Systems Thinker website: https://thesystemsthinker.com

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