scholarly journals What is Systems Thinking? Expert Perspectives from the WPI Systems Thinking Colloquium of 2 October 2019

Systems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Amissah ◽  
Thomas Gannon ◽  
Jamie Monat
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Real World ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Systems Dynamics ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Fundamental Notion ◽  
Real World Problems

Systems thinking is an approach to reasoning and treatment of real-world problems based on the fundamental notion of ‘system.’ System here refers to a purposeful assembly of components. Thus, systems thinking is aimed at understanding relationships between components and their overall impact on system outcomes (i.e., intended and unintended) and how a system similarly fits in the broader context of its environment. There are currently several distinct flavors of systems thinking, both in practice and scholarship; most notably in the disciplines of systems science, systems engineering, and systems dynamics. Each of these, while similar in purpose, has a distinct history and a rich set of methods and tools for various application contexts. The WPI Systems Thinking Colloquium held on 2 October 2019 was aimed at exploring the diversity of perspectives on systems thinking from these disciplines. The colloquium brought together world-renowned experts from both industry and academia to share insights from their research and practice. This paper offers a compilation of summaries of the presentations given.

Transdisciplinary Science and Technology and Service Systems

2017 ◽  
pp. 273-301
Author(s):  
Motohisa Funabashi
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Service System ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Service Systems ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Sustainable Society ◽  
Transdisciplinary Science

Systems engineering has a long history with myriads of successful accomplishments. Systems thinking and engineering methodologies are reviewed in this chapter and are reorganized for service systems engineering. The effectiveness and significance of the reorganized methodology is demonstrated in an exemplary problem on service system conceptualization that is widely required to attain a sustainable society. The reorganized systems engineering methodology leads to a new systems science that is emerging (i.e., transdisciplinary science and technology).

Transdisciplinary Science and Technology and Service Systems

2014 ◽  
pp. 101-127
Author(s):  
Motohisa Funabashi
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Service System ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Service Systems ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Sustainable Society ◽  
Transdisciplinary Science

Systems engineering has a long history with myriads of successful accomplishments. Systems thinking and engineering methodologies are reviewed in this chapter and are reorganized for service systems engineering. The effectiveness and significance of the reorganized methodology is demonstrated in an exemplary problem on service system conceptualization that is widely required to attain a sustainable society. The reorganized systems engineering methodology leads to a new systems science that is emerging (i.e., transdisciplinary science and technology).

Systems Engineering Modeling and Design

2010 ◽  
pp. 96-114
Author(s):  
Kumar Saurabh
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Real World ◽  
System Modeling ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
The Core ◽  
Engineering Modeling ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Way

System theories, analysis and design have been deployed within every corporate function and within a broad section of businesses and markets. Systems thinking involve changing paradigms about the way the world works, the way corporations function, and the human role in each. In systems thinking, analysis and design we look for interrelationships among the elements of a system. The chapter reflects the core insights of system modeling. This chapter addresses the core issues of system engineering, analysis, design, Simulation and modeling of real-world objects. It tells everything one needs to know to be a successful system thinker, modeler, technical manager and forecaster. The chapter focuses on: the real-world goals for, services provided by, and constraints on systems; the precise specification of system structure and behavior, and the implementation of specifications; the activities required in order to develop an assurance that the specifications and real-world goals have been met; the evolution of systems over time and across system families. It is also concerned with the processes, methods and tools for the development of systems in an economic and timely manner.

Bridging Research and Practice in Kinesiology: A Case for Concept Mapping

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-270
Author(s):  
Brian J. Souza
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Participatory Research ◽  
Real World ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Bridging Research And Practice ◽  
Collective Thinking ◽  
Real World Problems

Enhancing translational research in kinesiology requires utilizing diverse research methods. Concept mapping (CM), an applied, participatory research method, brings together stakeholders to address problems. CM involves preparing a project, generating answers to a problem, then structuring, rating, analyzing, representing, and interpreting the data. The results are visual depictions of the stakeholders’ collective thinking about a problem that help facilitate decision-making. In this paper, I describe CM, review CM physical activity projects, discuss opportunities for CM in kinesiology, and detail the limitations of CM. Professionals from the kinesiology subdisciplines can implement CM to facilitate collaboration and generate real-world solutions to real-world problems.

scholarly journals Handrails through the Swamp? A Pilot to Test the Integration and Implementation Science Framework in Complex Real-World Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5491
Author(s):  
Melissa Robson-Williams ◽  
Bruce Small ◽  
Roger Robson-Williams ◽  
Nick Kirk
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Implementation Science ◽  
Real World ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Integrative Framework ◽  
The World ◽  
Science Framework ◽  
Real World Problems

The socio-environmental challenges the world faces are ‘swamps’: situations that are messy, complex, and uncertain. The aim of this paper is to help disciplinary scientists navigate these swamps. To achieve this, the paper evaluates an integrative framework designed for researching complex real-world problems, the Integration and Implementation Science (i2S) framework. As a pilot study, we examine seven inter and transdisciplinary agri-environmental case studies against the concepts presented in the i2S framework, and we hypothesise that considering concepts in the i2S framework during the planning and delivery of agri-environmental research will increase the usefulness of the research for next users. We found that for the types of complex, real-world research done in the case studies, increasing attention to the i2S dimensions correlated with increased usefulness for the end users. We conclude that using the i2S framework could provide handrails for researchers, to help them navigate the swamps when engaging with the complexity of socio-environmental problems.

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