I am reading Draper Kauffman Systems one: An Introduction to Systems Thinking. Here some things I am learning.
A system is “a collection of parts which interact with each other to function as a whole.” A system cannot be split into separate parts and still be useful. Similarly, you can’t add one system to another and make a bigger system; you’ll simply have two systems.
Rules of thumb to recognise systems
- Everything is connected to everything else
- You can never do just one thing
- There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch
- Nature knows best
- If ain’t what you don’t know that hurts you; it’s what you DO know that ain’t so
- “Obvious solutions” do more harm than good
- Look for high leverage points
- Nothing grows forever
- Don’t fight positive feedback; support negative feedback instead
- Don’t try to control the players, just change the rules
- Don’t make rules that can’t be enforced
- There are no simple solutions
- Good intentions are not enough
- If you can’t make people self-sufficient, your aid does more harm than good
- There are no final answers
- Every solution creates new problems
- Loose systems are often better
- Don’t be fooled by system cycles
- Beware the empty compromise
- Competition is often cooperation in disguise
- Bad boundaries make bad governments
- Beware the Tragedy of the Commons
- Foresight always wins in the long run.