INTRODUCTION TO

SYSTEMS THEORY AND

SYSTEMS THINKING

March 2022
WHAT IS A SYSTEM?
 A SYSTEM is

An assemblage of things or parts interacting in a

coordinated way/manner.

Could be physical entities such as players in a

football team or components in a machine, or

abstract or conceptual things, such as words in a

language, or steps in a procedure.

 SYSTEMS THEORY

Systems theory is the interdisciplinary study of

systems.

It’s a believe that every system is bounded by

space and time, and they are influenced by their

environment, defined by its structure and purpose,

and expressed through its functioning.

It is about seeing a bigger-picture

 SYSTEMS THINKING

Systems thinking is a way of making sense of the

complexity of the world by looking at it in terms of

wholes and relationships rather than splitting it

down into its component parts.

It has been used as a way of exploring and

developing effective action in complex contexts.

It is about seeing a bigger-picture

Systems thinking requires a shift in mind-set, away from linear to
circular. The fundamental principle of this shift is that everything is
interconnected.

It is about seeing a bigger-picture

You see solutions – when others see problems
SYSTEMS THINKING

• Essentially, everything is reliant upon

something else for survival.

• Humans need food, air, and water to

sustain our bodies, and trees need carbon
dioxide and sunlight to thrive.

• Everything needs something else, often a

complex array of other things, to survive.
 TOOL OR PHILOSOPHY

• A generic tool of analysis: a way of looking at

the world – the different relationships between
systems and their environment

• How things relate… or how combining of two

or more things to create something new

Dissection of complexity into manageable components.

IS THIS A SYSTEM?
IN PAIRS – 20 SECONDS

List the components or subsystems

that make a calculator a system
 C ALCULATOR SUB-SYSTEMS
Keyboard: About 40
tiny plastic keys with a
rubber membrane
underneath and a
touch-sensitive circuit
underneath that

A microchip that does all

the hard work.

A liquid crystal display

(LCD) for showing you
the numbers you type in
and the results of your
calculations.
 WHAT IS A SYSTEM?

• Any group of entities which are functionally

independent can be called a system.

• Any group of entities which are interrelated

or interact so as to perform some function or
reach some goal can be seen to be acting as a
system.
 COLLECTIONS VS SYSTEMS

• Take a look of a list of items below:

• Tools in a tool-box

• Football Team

• Database of customer names

• Toaster

• Kitchen
 COLLECTIONS VS SYSTEMS_ C O N T D

• There's a difference between a system and a

collection of items

• Tools in a tool-box are a collection of things

that are not interdependent
WHAT IS A SYSTEM?
 SYSTEM AND SUBSYSTEMS
• Now - think about the natural environment and the
built environment working as a system

• Further - think about individual systems in buildings

and how they work together to make the building
function as intended

• Think about the various resources, activities and

processes that go into construction, and how the
finished product is dependent on their interaction
 PRODUCTION IN CONSTRUCTION

Transformation
Inputs Process Outputs
 PROCESS VIEW OF A SYSTEM

• Importation of Resources/Energy –
energy from inputs are required by the
system. Without this energy, the system
dies

• Transformation – energy/inputs are

transformed from one form to another

• Outputs – systems export outputs outside

of itself into the external environment
 KEY CONCEPTS

• Large systems are made up of sub-systems

which work inter-dependently towards the
larger system’s goals or Primary Task

• By studying the inter-relationships of the

sub-systems we can understand the
larger system
 ELEMENTS OF A SYSTEM

Feedback mechanisms exist when part of the

output is fed back to become an input; thus a
cycle of events is established that enables the
system to monitor its own behaviour
 DIFFERENT SYSTEMS

• Open
–Imports resources
–Transform inputs to
outputs
–Interacts with the
environment

• Closed
–Self Contained
–Contains all
resources
–Environment
independent
IN PAIRS – 15 SECONDS

Identify one Closed system and one Open

system
 APPLE VS. MICROSOFT

• Think about Microsoft’s products, does it

feel more comfortable with an open or
closed system?

• Think about Apple’s products – does it

reflect a belief in open systems or closed
systems?
CHARACTERISTICS OF OPEN SYSTEMS

• Importation of Energy – energy from inputs are

required by the system. Without this energy, the
system dies.

• Throughput – energy/inputs is transformed from

one form to another.

• Outputs – systems export outputs outside of

itself into the external environment.
CHARACTERISTICS OF OPEN SYSTEMS

• Systems are often cycles of events the pattern of

activities are often cyclical in character.

• Feedback loops ensure repetition and continuity of the

systems
3 PARTS OF SYSTEMS THINKING

1. Define the system:

• By describing what the system is and what it

does – the primary task;

• By establishing the boundary of the system –

what is inside and what is outside the system;

 3 PARTS OF SYSTEMS THINKING

2. Identify the component parts of the system:

• The inputs to the system;

• The conversion processes which the system uses to

transform the inputs into outputs;

• The outputs of the system, both tangible and intangible;

• The feedback loops which complete the input-

conversion-output cycle.
3 PARTS OF SYSTEMS THINKING

3. Define the environment of the system

Define the environment of the house as a system

What systems can you think of that link with the house?

What inputs does the house provide into these systems?

What outputs from the environmental system impact on

the house?

Are the occupants part of the system?

ARE THE SYSTEMS IN THESE BUILDINGS
VISIBLE?
ARE THE SYSTEMS IN THIS STRUCTURE
VISIBLE?
ARE THE SYSTEMS IN THIS BUILDING VISIBLE?
ARE THE SYSTEMS IN THIS BUILDING VISIBLE?
 PROCESS VIEW OF SYSTEMS

Inputs Process Output

Inputs are the Process is that Outputs are the

start up force that which transforms result of the
provide the system inputs into an operation of the
with its operating output process or the
necessities reason why the
system exists

Schoderbek p14 - 16
 Inputs Transform Output

Corrective Feedback Quality review

action Control object
Acceptance
criteria

Affector Comparator Detector

 Control object – variable  Comparator – compares the

of a system chosen for magnitude of control object
monitoring and control against a pre determined norm
or standard
 Detector – means of
acquisition, evaluation and  Affector – Evaluates alternative
transmission of courses of corrective action
information (Decision maker)
 FEEDBACK AND BALANCING

• Negative feedback
• Reduces factor driving change (homeostasis)
Example
• Thermostat on a kettle
• Change clothing to regulate body temperature

• Positive feedback
• Increases factor driving change
Example
• Error rate creating more work which causes more
errors
• Forest fires - heat creates more combustion
 FEEDBACK

Negative Feedback

Control object Adjusts input up or

Output Detector down to approach a
target level

Positive Feedback

Control object Adjusts input to

Output Detector increase direction of
change
IN PAIRS – 30 SECONDS

Identify an example of a positive and a

negative feedback system and justify your
view
 PROJECT CONTROL

Client Plan the Plan, Draft of

needs Do the work work
Project Budget

Update plan Changes Compare draft

and budget needs
Notice one system is
embedded in another Complete
work
Work Package (A 33)
Date
Team or person authorized,
Work package description,
Product description,
CS1 MP1 MP2 MP3 PL2
Methods to be used, Delivering a Define
Authorizing Accepting Executing a
Interfaces to be satisfied, Work package & analyze
Work Work package Work package
Interfaces to maintain, package products
Quality checks to be used,
Stage plan extract, CS9
SB4 CS2 Acceptance
Agreed dates, costs, Update Assessing
Receiving
Criteria
resources, Completed
Risk log Progress A1
Work package
Sign off requirements,
Work return arrangements,
Completion advice process, Reject Acceptance
CS7 CS4
CS5
Constraints to observe, Taking
Review
Examine CS3 Quality Configuration
Independent QC Corrective Project Capturing reviews management
Stage status
action issues Project issues
arrangement, Quality control
Reporting arrangement.