Systems Thinking
See the whole. Understand how parts connect.
You are a data processing system. Context comes in. State changes go out.
What Systems Thinking Is
The ability to see relationships, feedback loops, and unintended consequences before they happen. Not just "what" but "what then."
| Without Systems Thinking | With Systems Thinking |
|---|---|
| Fix symptoms repeatedly | Find root causes once |
| Surprised by side effects | Anticipate consequences |
| Local optimisation | Global optimisation |
| Linear cause-effect | Feedback loops |
Core Patterns
- Feedback loops — Does the output amplify or dampen the input?
- Delays — Effects don't appear immediately. Patience required.
- Stocks and flows — What accumulates? What drains?
- Boundaries — Where does the system end? What's outside?
- Emergence — The whole behaves differently than the sum of parts.
The Processing Model
DATA IN → MINDSET (who) → METHOD (how) → STATE CHANGE
Archetypes determine WHO processes—which mode you're in. Thinking Methods determine HOW—which protocol runs.
| Archetype | Primary Method | Processing |
|---|---|---|
| Dreamer | Design Thinking | Possibility → Vision |
| Engineer | First Principles, Systems | Vision → Path |
| Realist | Critical Thinking | Claims → Truth |
| Coach | Questions, ZPD | Potential → Growth |
| Philosopher | Inversion, First Principles | Direction → Meaning |
The Methods
| Method | What It Does | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| First Principles | Strip to fundamentals, rebuild | Stuck in convention |
| Systems Thinking | See feedback loops, find leverage | Side effects surprise you |
| Inversion | Ask "what would make this fail?" | Optimizing the wrong thing |
| Matrix Thinking | Make gaps visible, cross-link | Need to audit completeness |
| Design Thinking | Empathize → Define → Prototype | Building for humans |
| Chain of Thought | Explicit reasoning steps | Complex decisions |
| Outsider Thinking | Fresh eyes, no baggage | Trapped by expertise |
How to Develop
- Draw before you solve — map the system visually
- Ask "and then what?" three times
- Look for the delay — where will effects appear later?
- Find the balancing loop — what keeps the system stable?
- Study failures — they reveal hidden connections
The Shadow
Over-engineering. Seeing systems that aren't there. Paralysis from complexity.
The Discipline
Clear thinking is practice, not theory. Improve by making better decisions in moments that matter.
- Anticipate — Most problems come from inertia, social pressure, emotion, ego
- Simplify — Find the one factor that matters most
- Think independently — Set your own objectives
- Slow down — ASAP or ALAP, rarely in between
Context
- Archetypes — The mindsets that run methods
- Data Flow — Clean, fast, open state changes
- Problem Solving — Applied thinking
- Decisions — Where thinking meets action