Systems Thinking 101 | Anna Justice | TEDxFurmanU

Summary

In this video, the speaker introduces the concept of systems thinking, highlighting its importance in understanding complex issues by viewing them as interconnected systems. They explain how systems thinking contrasts with linear thinking, emphasizing feedback loops and interrelations among system elements. Through examples like the clothing industry and industrial agriculture, the speaker demonstrates how systems thinking can reveal unintended consequences and undesirable results. The video encourages viewers to adopt systems thinking in their daily lives, asking deeper questions and considering the broader impacts of their actions to make more informed decisions.

Takeaways

• 🌿 **Systems Thinking Overview**: Systems thinking is an integrative approach to understand complex issues by viewing them as interconnected elements within a whole.
• 🧬 **Understanding Systems**: A system is defined by how its elements interconnect and work together, such as the human body, a forest, or an economy.
• 🔄 **Nested Systems**: Systems can exist within larger systems, like a city encompassing smaller systems like local government and schools.
• ⚙️ **Systems Dynamics**: Systems have inputs and outputs, and unlike linear thinking, systems thinking recognizes continuous feedback loops among elements.
• 🏔️ **Iceberg Model**: The iceberg model in systems mapping illustrates that what we see on the surface doesn't tell the whole story; deeper layers reveal patterns and structures.
• 👕 **Case Study: Fast Fashion**: The fast fashion industry's focus on profit leads to cheap production, which in turn causes clothing waste and environmental issues.
• 🌾 **Case Study: Industrial Agriculture**: Industrial agriculture's reliance on chemical fertilizers to meet demand can degrade soil quality, leading to long-term sustainability issues.
• 🔄 **Causal Loop Diagrams**: These diagrams are a visual aid to show how elements in a system are interrelated, helping to identify causal relationships and system dynamics.
• 🔍 **Seeing the Bigger Picture**: Systems thinking encourages looking beyond immediate events to understand underlying patterns and structures that influence system behavior.
• 🛠️ **Solutions Thinking**: After identifying system dynamics, the next step is to consider interventions that can change the system to mitigate unwanted outputs.
• 🌐 **Individual Impact**: Recognizing one's role in larger systems can lead to more informed decisions that align with individual values and contribute to systemic change.

Q & A

What is the main concept discussed in the video script?

The main concept discussed in the video script is 'systems thinking,' which is an integrative approach to understanding complex issues by viewing them as part of a group or system of interconnected elements.

How is sustainability defined in the context of the script?

In the script, sustainability is defined in terms of sustainable development, which focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

What are the two key takeaways about systems mentioned in the script?

The two key takeaways about systems are that systems are everywhere and they exist at various scales, indicating that systems can be found in all aspects of life and can be both large and small in scope.

What is the difference between linear thinking and systems thinking?

Linear thinking is a straightforward cause-and-effect approach where input A affects B, which affects C, and so on. Systems thinking, on the other hand, recognizes that outputs can also be inputs within the same or another system, creating a continuous feedback loop without a specified end.

What is the iceberg model in systems thinking?

The iceberg model in systems thinking serves as a reminder that what is initially visible on the surface does not tell the whole story. It has three layers: events at the top, patterns in the middle, and systemic structures at the bottom.

What is a causal loop diagram, and how is it used in systems thinking?

A causal loop diagram is a visual aid used in systems thinking to show how elements within a system are interrelated. It uses words and arrows to illustrate the connections and causal relationships between different components of a system.

How does the script use the example of the clothing industry to explain systems thinking?

The script uses the example of the clothing industry to illustrate how demand for clothes, production methods, marketing, customer purchases, and profit are interconnected in a feedback loop that perpetuates the cycle of fast fashion and contributes to undesirable outcomes like clothing waste.

What is the main goal of industrial agriculture as discussed in the script?

The main goal of industrial agriculture, as discussed in the script, is to grow food to meet the demand of a growing population. This is often achieved through the use of chemical fertilizers to increase crop yield.

What is the unintended consequence of using chemical fertilizers in industrial agriculture?

The unintended consequence of using chemical fertilizers in industrial agriculture is soil degradation. Excessive use of these potent fertilizers leads to soil becoming more acidic and less porous, which can eventually affect the ability to grow crops.

How does the script relate the concept of systems thinking to everyday decisions?

The script relates the concept of systems thinking to everyday decisions by encouraging viewers to consider the entire lifecycle of products, from production to disposal, and to think about their role and impact within these larger systems.

What is the final message or challenge presented by the speaker in the script?

The final message or challenge presented by the speaker is to incorporate more systems thinking into one's life, to ask questions, and to have a curiosity that leads to deeper thinking and understanding of the bigger picture, recognizing that individual actions have an impact within these systems.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Introduction to Systems Thinking

The speaker introduces the concept of systems thinking as an integral approach to understanding complex issues within a group or system of interconnected elements. They explain that systems thinking involves stepping back to view the bigger picture, recognizing that systems are omnipresent and exist at various scales. The speaker uses examples like the human body, a forest, and an economy to illustrate the concept of systems. They also discuss the difference between linear and circular thinking, emphasizing the continuous feedback loops within systems. The goal is to identify causal relationships and understand system dynamics and desired outputs, starting with the iceberg model which represents the deeper layers of a system beyond the surface events.

05:00

👕 Systems Thinking in the Clothing Industry

This paragraph delves into the application of systems thinking to the clothing industry, specifically focusing on fast fashion. The speaker outlines a causal loop diagram to demonstrate how demand for clothes leads to cheap production, which in turn generates inventory and the need for increased marketing to attract customers. This cycle results in profit, signaling the company to produce more clothes, thus continuing the cycle. The speaker also introduces another loop, showing how customers use and eventually discard clothes, contributing to landfill waste. The two loops are then connected to illustrate the broader impact of the fast fashion system, highlighting the undesirable outcome of increased clothing waste due to the use of cheap materials that degrade quickly and are difficult to recycle.

10:02

🌾 Industrial Agriculture and Its Systemic Challenges

The speaker shifts focus to industrial agriculture, aiming to meet the growing demand for food through the use of chemical fertilizers. They explain that these fertilizers, while potent, can lead to soil degradation due to overuse. A causal loop diagram is used to map out the relationship between demand, chemical fertilizer use, crop yield, and soil quality. The diagram reveals a conundrum where soil degradation, instead of signaling a reduction in chemical fertilizer use, paradoxically increases the need for it to maintain crop yields. The speaker warns of the long-term implications of this practice, including the potential loss of arable soil, and emphasizes the complexity and interconnectedness of systems, where actions in one area can have far-reaching effects on others.

🔍 The Power of Systems Thinking for Solutions

In the final paragraph, the speaker reflects on the power of systems thinking in identifying and addressing complex problems like those in the clothing and agricultural industries. They highlight that systems are not inherently right or wrong but are shaped by our values and beliefs. The speaker encourages the audience to consider systems thinking as a tool for solutions, by intervening in systems to change them and mitigate unwanted outputs. They express hope that systems thinking can lead to better-informed decisions that align with individual values and contribute positively to larger systems. The speaker concludes by challenging the audience to consider the broader impact of their actions, from consumption to disposal, and to recognize their role in these interconnected systems.

Keywords

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the concept of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is central to the video's theme as it sets the stage for understanding systems thinking within the context of environmental and societal health. The script mentions sustainability in relation to sustainable development, emphasizing the balance between current consumption and future needs.

💡Systems Thinking

Systems thinking is an integrative approach to understanding complex issues by viewing them as interconnected parts of a whole. It is the core methodology discussed in the video, which helps in analyzing how elements within a system work together and influence each other. The script uses systems thinking to explore the dynamics of the clothing industry and industrial agriculture, showing how they impact broader environmental and social systems.

💡Causal Relationships

Causal relationships denote the connections between events or variables where one event (cause) influences another (effect). In the context of the video, identifying causal relationships is crucial for systems thinking, as it helps to understand how changes in one part of a system can affect others. The script illustrates this with examples from the clothing industry, where increased marketing leads to more customers and higher profits, influencing production decisions.

💡Feedback Loops

Feedback loops are the mechanisms in systems where the output of a process serves as input to the same or another process, creating a cycle of influence. The video script discusses feedback loops to explain how continuous interactions within a system can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. An example given is the continuous cycle of clothing production and consumption in the fast fashion industry.

💡Iceberg Model

The iceberg model is a metaphor used in the video to represent the idea that only a small part of a system is visible, while the larger, underlying structures and dynamics are hidden beneath the surface. It is used to initiate systems mapping, encouraging viewers to look beyond immediate events to understand deeper systemic issues, such as the underlying causes of clothing trends and their environmental impacts.

💡Causal Loop Diagram

A causal loop diagram is a visual tool used in systems thinking to map out the relationships and interactions between elements within a system. The video script describes how to use this diagram to illustrate the dynamics of the clothing industry, showing how demand, production, marketing, and sales are interconnected and influence each other.

💡Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is a term used to describe the rapid production and consumption of clothing, often characterized by low cost and short-lived trends. The video uses the concept of fast fashion to highlight the undesirable outcomes of certain systems, such as increased clothing waste and environmental degradation, while still meeting the industry's profit-driven goals.

💡Industrial Agriculture

Industrial agriculture refers to large-scale farming practices that prioritize high yields and efficiency, often through the use of chemical fertilizers and other intensive methods. The video script discusses this concept to illustrate the negative environmental impacts, such as soil degradation, that can result from a focus on short-term productivity over long-term sustainability.

💡Desired Output

Desired output in the context of systems thinking refers to the goal or objective that a system is designed to achieve. The video script uses the term to discuss how systems, like the clothing industry and industrial agriculture, are structured to meet specific outputs, such as profit or food production, which can sometimes lead to unintended negative consequences.

💡Unintended Consequences

Unintended consequences are the unforeseen results that arise from actions or systems. The video script highlights how systems, while developed with specific goals in mind, can create problems in other systems, such as the environmental issues stemming from fast fashion and industrial agriculture practices.

💡Solutions Thinking

Solutions thinking is the process of identifying and implementing changes to improve or transform systems. The video script introduces this concept as the next step beyond systems thinking, encouraging viewers to consider interventions that could mitigate negative outcomes and promote more sustainable practices within various systems.

Highlights

Sustainability science major introduces the concept of systems thinking as an integrative approach to understanding complex issues.

Systems thinking involves viewing issues as part of a group or system of interconnected elements.

The human body, a forest, and an economy are given as examples of systems with interdependent elements.

Systems can exist within larger systems, such as a city composed of smaller systems like local government and schools.

Key takeaways: Systems are ubiquitous and exist at various scales, with inputs and outputs.

Linear thinking is contrasted with systems thinking, which recognizes continuous feedback loops.

The iceberg model is introduced to demonstrate that initial observations often do not reveal the full story of a system.

Causal loop diagrams are used to visually represent the interrelations within a system.

The clothing industry is used as an example to illustrate how systems thinking can break down the fast fashion cycle.

Fast fashion's reliance on cheap materials leads to decreased clothing quality and increased waste.

Industrial agriculture is examined through systems thinking, focusing on the use of chemical fertilizers.

The overuse of chemical fertilizers is shown to degrade soil quality, impacting crop yields negatively.

Systems are not inherently right or wrong but develop based on societal values and beliefs.

Solutions thinking involves identifying potential interventions to change system dynamics.

The speaker encourages adopting systems thinking to make better-informed decisions based on individual values.

The importance of considering the entire lifecycle of products, from production to disposal, is emphasized.

The talk concludes by challenging the audience to think about their role in systems and the impact of their actions.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello welcome to systems thinking 101

when i tell people i am a sustainability

science major i'm often met with a head

nod followed by a weight what's that

now most people understand

sustainability as sustainable

development and in sustainable

development we are looking at how we can

meet the needs of present generations

without compromising the ability for

future generations to meet their needs

now today i'm just going to focus on one

aspect of what i have learned and

applied to my daily life

and that is systems thinking what is

systems thinking

well systems thinking is an integrative

way to view a large and complex issue as

part of a group or system of elements

together as a whole systems thinking

requires you to take a step back and

look at the big picture to understand

systems thinking you first need to

understand systems to understand systems

thinking you first need to understand

systems now systems refers to

how elements

interconnect

and work together to form a unified

whole

examples of systems include the human

body the human body has a set of dna

tissues cells muscles and they all rely

on one another to function correctly

a forest is an example of a system it

has plants animals soil water

all to produce that specific type of

landscape

an economy is a system it has a set of

rules behaviors and institutions that

govern how a society should exchange

goods and services

now systems can also exist within

systems

for example a city is a larger system

that could be broken down into smaller

systems such as local government

hospitals schools businesses residents

and so on

now there are two key takeaways here

systems are everywhere and they exist at

various scales

now systems have inputs and outputs

in linear thinking we can easily see

that input a

affects b which affects c which affects

d and d is that final output

since we can more easily process this

and identify the cause and effect or

causal relationship we are more prone to

be linear thinkers

now what if outputs were also inputs in

the same system

or another one

well then we'd get something like this

you might be wondering where does it

begin where does it end well unlike

linear thinking and circular thinking

there is no specified end you can see

that there is continuous feedback among

each element

in the examples we are going through

today we will be creating these loops

and identifying causal relationships

and we are going to constantly be asking

these two questions

how the elements interacting or the

system dynamics

and what is the goal of the system or

the desired output a great way to begin

systems mapping is through the iceberg

model the iceberg model reminds us that

what we initially see on the surface

isn't going to tell the whole story

now at the top we have event

the second layer is patterns and if you

view that event over time you can maybe

identify patterns

the third layer is structure

and structure refers to systemic

structures

now let's say i bought a shirt last week

and

i bought it because it was trendy it was

at a good price

well if we view this at the top layer

there's not much else to it

but let's move to the second layer

at the second layer we could discuss how

this shirt in a year or maybe even a few

months will no longer be trendy and then

i might buy a new shirt

and then that's going to repeat and

generate a pattern

the third level is where we perform

systems thinking

now we're going to use a causal loop

diagram a causal loop diagram is a

visual aid to show how elements in a

system are interrelated and we are going

to use words and arrows you can think of

it like systems thinking art class

now while we started with me buying a

new shirt we're going to take a step

back and get a bit broader and we're

going to identify the overarching system

as the clothing industry

and focus on a clothing company

now we need to identify the inputs and

how they interact in the system

so the clothing company has identified

demand there's demand for clothes and

they have also found that customers

will buy clothes if they're cheaper

so then we move to production

the clothing company will make clothes

cheaply by outsourcing labor and using

cheaper materials

this creates a lot of inventory

and in that inventory they want to sell

it as much as they can so they can keep

creating new products because new

products increase customer

attractiveness

so this will increase marketing

as marketing increases so does the

number of customers that buy clothes

this generates profit

and profit is a signal to the clothing

company

to keep making more clothes so we can

draw an arrow straight back to

production

now if you can see the little plus signs

next to each arrow

that indicates positive reinforcement or

an increase

now while there are more variables in

real life

to complete this process

for the sake of today's exercise we want

to keep it simple

let's make another causal loop diagram

we are going to stay within the same

system the clothing industry

but we are going to build off customers

so the customer buys clothes and then

receives the clothes

what's next

well we assume that customer is going to

wear those clothes so this increases the

clothing use over time

and as clothes are more used they have

an increased chance of wearing out or

going out of style

and that's going to indicate to the

customer to throw away the clothes or

donate them

and both of those options inevitably end

up at a landfill

now wait a minute

this doesn't look the same as our first

example

that's okay

in systems thinking it can sometimes be

hard

to figure out that connecting arrow or

what's going to connect the loop

can you see where we could draw an arrow

from one of the variables back to

customer

now technically you can make a case for

any of those first three variables but

i'm going to add an arrow from throwing

away or donating clothes back to

customer

because typically when we get rid of

clothes

we go and buy more and that makes us a

customer again for that clothing company

now

let's take this example and connect it

back to our first example

well then we get something like this

whoa

now

looks complicated

but guess what

you can now walk someone through this

and if you're wondering what this is

will you just use systems thinking to

break down the complex issue a fast

fashion

now fast fashion is a term to clothing

industries that use this type of

production to produce affordable clothes

through the use of cheap materials and

what that means is there is a trade-off

by having decreased clothing quality by

using cheaper materials these clothes

break down faster and they're much

harder to recycle therefore we get a lot

of clothing waste in landfills

now this is an undesirable result in the

system

but the clothing company is still

meeting their desired output

to make profit by selling clothes

let's walk through another example

this time we're going to

look at industrial agriculture

now a bit of background is the goal of

industrial agriculture

is to grow food it's to meet growing

population demand

now

in large scale industrial agriculture

they use chemical fertilizers

fertilizers are nutrients added to

plants and crops to make them grow

faster bigger and produce more food in a

limited space

however chemical fertilizers in contrast

to natural fertilizers are more potent

so what happens is they are added in

excess

meaning we are adding more nutrients

than that plant or soil needs

and this leads to soil degradation that

soil becomes more acidic it becomes less

porous meaning it cannot hold as much

water

so now let's try to map this out using a

causal loop diagram

so we have identified demand there are

people we need to feed

and so this is going to increase the use

of chemical fertilizers

now what do chemical fertilizers do

well they increase the amount of food

that we grow and harvest

or crop yield

now crop yield

that is our desired output so we can

draw an arrow back to use of chemical

fertilizers the increase in craft yield

signals to the farm to continue the use

of chemical fertilizers

now technically

this loop is complete

but it doesn't tell the whole story of

this system

what did we discover about the use of

chemical fertilizers

i'm going to draw an arrow from use of

chemical fertilizers to a new variable

soil quality we put a minus sign by this

arrow to show a negative effect or

decrease

and if the use of chemical fertilizers

is lessening the soil quality

this then lessens the crop yield because

crops cannot grow as well and pour soil

do you see a conundrum in this system

we'd expect that a decrease in soil

quality

would signal the farm to use less

chemical fertilizers but it actually

increases the need why is that

well remember the desired output for

this system is food so their focus is

growing more food

so if they see that soil is struggling

and so are the crops

they're just going to add more

fertilizer

and what can happen over time is as that

soil keeps degrading

it can be more easily carried away by

wind or washed away by water

and what that means is some day in the

future we might not have soil to plant

crops in

now i'm going to stop there but this is

one of my favorite systems examples

because while it looks deceivingly

simple

it has huge implications for so many

other systems to be able to function

now today we use systems thinking

to look at the system dynamics

of fast fashion and industrial

agriculture in both systems we saw

undesirable results

clothing waste and landfills

and soil quality going down

now systems are not inherently right or

wrong they have developed over time

based on our values and beliefs

and ultimately as these systems

developed

they weren't aware that they might be

creating a problem in another system

and systems come with surprises and

unintended consequences

the next step is what my major is about

solutions thinking

we are looking at where we could

intervene and change the system

this is the equivalent of adding a new

arrow or variable

and we hope that we could somehow

mitigate any unwanted outputs

could we have a clothing system

where clothes are never sent to a

landfill and are recycled back into

production

can we grow enough food to meet current

demand

while letting our soil rebuild at the

same time

my hope for you today is not to solve

either of these problems

they are very complex and there is no

one solution

my hope is that you can see the

effectiveness of systems thinking and

identifying connections

and understanding why any system behaves

the way it does

what i love about systems thinking is

how it has changed my perspective

i see the world differently now because

i can identify these connections more

easily

and i can see the subsequent impacts

they have even when it is no longer

directly impacting me

when i make decisions i can see that i

play a part into larger systems

by using systems thinking to understand

how

a system is achieving its desired

results

i can make better informed decisions

based on my own individual values

i hope i have inspired you to

incorporate more systems thinking into

your life and if you're still unsure

where to start

ask questions

have a curiosity to think deeper

ask those questions that are going to

make you take a step back

and look at the big picture

so the next time you're shopping for

clothes

or buying produce from a grocery store

or even throw something in the trash can

i want you to think of all the steps

that item went through to get into your

hands

and then i challenge you to also think

of all the steps that item will go

through once it leaves your hands

remember that systems are everywhere

and you are part of these systems

you have an impact therefore your

actions matter

thank you for coming to my ted talk