Systems Thinking

There are eight parts to a system:

1. Aim - purpose of the work

2. Suppliers - source of what is worked on 

3. Inputs - materials and other resources used to do the work

4. Process - methods by which the work is accomplished

5. Outputs - results of the work

6. Customers - people who benefit from the work

7. Measurements - indicators of work quality and customer  

                            satisfaction

8. Feedback - information and actions that reinforce or       

                     counterbalance each other - adjusting the system

A system is a network of components within an organization that work together to accomplish organization's aim.

Systems thinking is a conceptual framework, a body of knowledge and tools that has been developed over the last 50 years to make the full patterns clearer and to help us see how to change them effectively. It causes a shift of thinking from seeing the isolated parts of the system to seeing the whole system; raising awareness of the interrelationships - between people, and how they interact with their environment - that influence behavior over time. Systems thinking allows people to begin to come out of event mentality and see where current policy and their action is creating their current reality. Instead of reacting to events and change they begin to feel a sense of empowerment for creating the change they want.

Adapted from: The Fifth Discipline, by Peter M. Senge - ©1990

No systems thinking is a seldom discussed, yet critical barrier to school improvement. Implementation of GATEWAY TO MASTERY^® facilitates systems thinking and changes the interrelationships within the system to allow systemic improvement.

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