Is systems thinking useful for government policy?

Systems thinking is an approach that views problems as part of a whole. Relationships between system elements are its main focus. This approach looks beyond isolated events or issues.

Government often encounters problems that are intertwined. Old methods sometimes ignore how issues are related. Policymakers can understand more with systems thinking.

Using systems thinking, governments can identify root causes of problems. This leads to more effective solutions. It can stop unintended results from occurring.

It leads to more cross-departmental teamwork. It helps remove divisions between departments. It makes teamwork and communication easier.

It raises the quality of government decisions. Policymakers foresee consequences more clearly. It creates more enduring government policies.

More administrations are implementing systems thinking. It supports creative responses to change. Systems thinking is valuable for tackling complex policy issues.

It helps governments respond to changing needs and challenges. It encourages learning from what has happened. This approach builds flexibility into government policies.

Systems thinking can make policies more resilient to shocks and disruptions. It spots risks in advance. Governments can use it to plan for the long term.

Evaluation shapes policy outcomes. Policies are refined using real experiences. Government policy keeps improving over time.

Systems thinking can be integrated into every stage of policy development. Systems thinking is helpful in every phase. Policies stay up-to-date and useful.

Systems thinking also supports public engagement. Governments can meet more needs. Inclusive policies are created.

Governments move beyond outdated methods. It stops mistakes from returning. Government values growth and learning.

It deals with persistent policy challenges. Creative answers are found. Climate and health issues are addressed.

Diverse views are included. It welcomes broad participation. Balanced policies are produced.

Learning is required for this approach. Governments can invest in building these abilities. Preparation for tough problems is ensured.

It helps stretch government resources. It helps identify the most effective interventions. This ensures that public funds are used wisely.

Governments can measure better. The approach uses specific indicators. This makes policy outcomes easier to track.

Decisions are clearer to the public. Public engagement is supported. Policies gain public trust.

Better policies result from this approach. Policy gains strength and inclusivity. It should be used throughout government.

Can applying systems thinking improve government policy outcomes?

frontiers | systems thinking in public health policy development

a systems thinking approach to public health policy development is essential as it ensures there has been a thorough investigation into the dynamic complexit...

systems thinking in local government: intervention design and adaptation in a community-based study - health research policy and systems

background systems thinking approaches are increasingly being used by communities to address complex chronic disease. this paper reports on the vichealth local government partnership (vlgp) which sought to co-create improvements in the health and well-being of children and young people by working with local government in victoria, australia. methods the vlgp included a series of health promotion modules, aimed at creating policy, programme and practice changes across local government. one of these modules, connecting the dots – creating solutions for lasting change, aimed to build capacity for systems thinking in municipal public health and well-being planning across 13 councils. the approach was adapted and data were collected on the stimuli for, and results of, adaptation. results the council adapted the systems thinking approach to meet geographic characteristics, priority health issue/s and participant target group needs. adaptions applied to workshop materials, training delivery, existing and new resources, and to align with other community-based approaches. stimuli for adaptation included the covid-19 pandemic, needs of children and young people, capacity of council to deliver the workshop series, and time available within the project or for the participant group. conclusions systems thinking was used and adapted by councils to improve the health and well-being of children and young people and increase the voices of children and young people in decision-making. flexible delivery is critical to ensure communities can adapt the approach to meet local needs.

systemic governing - applied systems thinking in practice - observatory of public sector innovation

guest blog from the applied systems thinking in practice group, school of engineering & innovation, the open university (uk) systems thinking in times of complex challenges the covid-19 pandemic has shown what governments can do when faced with an existential threat: the climate and associated emergencies are existential threats. these will require even more of governments and of governance. further, these new ways of governing are what is needed to enable governments to achieve real...

applying systems thinking to knowledge mobilisation in public health - health research policy and systems

context knowledge mobilisation (km) is a vital strategy in efforts to improve public health policy and practice. linear models describing knowledge transfer and translation have moved towards multi-directional and complexity-attuned approaches where knowledge is produced and becomes meaningful through social processes. there are calls for systems approaches to km but little guidance on how this can be operationalised. this paper describes the contribution that systems thinking can make to km and provides guidance about how to put it into action. methods we apply a model of systems thinking (which focuses on leveraging change in complex systems) to eight km practices empirically identified by others. we describe how these models interact and draw out some key learnings for applying systems thinking practically to km in public health policy and practice. examples of empirical studies, tools and targeted strategies are provided. findings systems thinking can enhance and fundamentally transform km. it upholds a pluralistic view of knowledge as informed by multiple parts of the system and reconstituted through use. mobilisation is conceived as a situated, non-prescriptive and potentially destabilising practice, no longer conceptualised as a discrete piece of work within wider efforts to strengthen public health but as integral to and in continual dialogue with those efforts. a systems approach to km relies on contextual understanding, collaborative practices, addressing power imbalances and adaptive learning that responds to changing interactions between mobilisation activities and context. conclusion systems thinking offers valuable perspectives, tools and strategies to better understand complex problems in their settings and for strengthening km practice. we make four suggestions for further developing empirical evidence and debate about how systems thinking can enhance our capacity to mobilise knowledge for solving complex problems – (1) be specific about what is meant by ‘systems thinking’, (2) describe counterfactual km scenarios so the added value of systems thinking is clearer, (3) widen conceptualisations of impact when evaluating km, and (4) use methods that can track how and where knowledge is mobilised in complex systems.

how systems thinking enhances systems leadership - realkm

by catherine hobbs and gerald midgley. originally published on the integration and implementation in

systems thinking – local government utopia

posts about systems thinking written by lancingfarrell

systems thinking in public health policy development

a systems thinking approach is essential for public health policy development, offering a framework to navigate the dynamic complexities inherent in public health issues. this methodology enables policymakers to comprehend the interconnections ...

exploring mechanisms for systemic thinking in decision-making through three country applications of sdg synergies - sustainability science

increased systems thinking capacity—that is, the capacity to consider systemic effects of policies and actions—is necessary for translating knowledge on sustainable development goals’ (sdgs) interactions into practice. various models and tools that seek to support more evidence-based policy-making have been developed with the purpose of exploring system effects across sdgs. however, these often lack integration of behavioral aspects and contextual factors that influence the decision-making process. we analyze three applications of a decision-support approach called sdg synergies, which aims at building capacity in systems thinking among decision-makers and implementing agencies. our objective is to explore how behavior and context influences whether and how knowledge is taken up and acted upon when making decisions. drawing on empirical material from mongolia, colombia, and sri lanka, we identify three sets of mechanisms that appear important for enabling more systemic thinking: system boundaries (time, scale, and space), rules of engagement (ownership, representation, and purpose), and biases (confirmation biases and participation biases). results highlight some key challenges for systemic thinking that merit further attention in future applications, including the importance of localizing sdgs and incorporating this knowledge to national-level assessments, an unwillingness of stakeholders to acknowledge trade-offs, the challenge of addressing transformational as opposed to incremental change, and striking a balance between the flexibility of the approach vis-à-vis scientific robustness.

systems thinking: a better way to make public policy

decisions in one realm have ripple effects in others. public programs need to reflect that reality.

policy design, service design, systems thinking

a bit of a wander

from complexity to capability: what systems thinking can teach us about implementation - arc

from complexity to capability: in this blog post, kristian hudson, yharc implementation specialist's recent podcast conversation with professor harvey maylor explores how embracing uncertainty and the interconnectedness of real-world systems – core tenets of complexity science – can revolutionise implementation science. we dive into practical applications and how to shift systems towards better outcomes.

systemic governing – applied systems thinking in practice - ed straw

“the covid-19 pandemic has shown what governments can do when faced with an existential threat……”

the growing popularity of systems thinking

systems thinking has seen growing popularity in current times. with world events such as the covid-19 pandemic, the ukraine war, the macro-economic uncertainty in the developed world, and the climate emergency, governments, industries, nonprofits, and education institutions have come to realize that

systems thinking: taking a systemic approach

systems thinking is a mental framework that helps us to become better problem solvers. it takes a systemic approach to solving complex issues.

applying systems thinking to policy making - centre for science and policy

in november 2022, the centre for science and policy delivered a series of policy workshops on how to apply systems thnking to policy making. these workshops brought together policy makers and experts to discuss health systems, physical infrastructure, and conflict.

it’s time for the uk government to embrace systems mapping

by pete barbrook-johnson, co-author of systems mapping: how to build and use causal models of systems.

what is the role of systems thinking in evaluation? is it the answer to wicked problems? - cecan

the cecan 2024 conference ‘looking back and looking forward: closing the loop from evaluation to policy making’ considered the questions ‘what is the role of systems thinking in evaluation? is it the answer to wicked problems?’ in one of its breakout sessions.

systems thinking in uk environmental policy making

in recent years, there has been a marked rise in the use of systems thinking approaches in uk policy making institutions, especially in environmental domains. to better understand practice

frontiers | systems thinking in practice when implementing a national policy program for the improvement of women

interest in applying systems thinking (st) in public health and healthcare improvement has increased in the past decade, but its practical use is still uncle...

thinking in systems: why public policy needs… | dartmouth engineering

browsing the daily news headlines might lead one to conclude that we live in an era ruled by populism, fear, and misinformation. in reality, over the past…

development of the systems thinking for health actions framework: a literature review and a case study

background systems thinking is an approach that views systems with a holistic lens, focusing on how components of systems are interconnected. specifically, the application of systems thinking has proven to be beneficial when applied to health systems. although there is plenty of theory surrounding systems thinking, there is a gap between the theoretical use of systems thinking and its actual application to tackle health challenges. this study aimed to create a framework to expose systems thinking characteristics in the design and implementation of actions to improve health.methods a systematised literature review was conducted and a taxonomy of systems thinking objectives was adapted to develop the new ‘systems thinking for health actions’ (stha) framework. the applicability of the framework was tested using the covid-19 response in pakistan as a case study.results the framework identifies six key characteristics of systems thinking: (1) recognising and understanding interconnections and system structure, (2) identifying and understanding feedback, (3) identifying leverage points, (4) understanding dynamic behaviour, (5) using mental models to suggest possible solutions to a problem and (6) creating simulation models to test policies. the stha framework proved beneficial in identifying systems thinking characteristics in the covid-19 national health response in pakistan.conclusion the proposed framework can provide support for those aiming to applying systems thinking while developing and implementing health actions. we also envision this framework as a retrospective tool that can help assess if systems thinking was applied in health actions.

what can policy-makers get out of systems thinking? policy partners’ experiences of a systems-focused research collaboration in preventive health

background there is increasing interest in using systems thinking to tackle ‘wicked’ policy problems in preventive health, but this can be challenging for policy-makers because the literature is amorphous and often highly theoretical. little is known about how best to support health policy-makers to gain skills in understanding and applying systems thinking for policy action.   methods in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 policy-makers who are participating in an australian research collaboration that uses a systems approach. our aim was to explore factors that support policy-makers to use systems approaches, and to identify any impacts of systems thinking on policy thinking or action, including the pathways through which these impacts occurred.   results all 18 policy-makers agreed that systems thinking has merit but some questioned its practical policy utility. a small minority were confused about what systems thinking is or which approaches were being used in the collaboration. the majority were engaged with systems thinking and this group identified concrete impacts on their work. they reported using systems-focused research, ideas, tools and resources in policy work that were contributing to the development of practical methodologies for policy design, scaling up, implementation and evaluation; and to new prevention narratives. importantly, systems thinking was helping some policy-makers to reconceptualise health problems and contexts, goals, potential policy solutions and methods. in short, they were changing how they think about preventive health.   conclusion these results show that researchers and policy-makers can put systems thinking into action as part of a research collaboration, and that this can result in discernible impacts on policy processes. in this case, action-oriented collaboration and capacity development over a 5-year period facilitated mutual learning and practical application. this indicates that policy-makers can get substantial applied value from systems thinking when they are involved in extended co-production processes that target policy impact and are supported by responsive capacity strategies.

systems thinking in public policy: making space to think differently

by catherine hobbs why does public policy go wrong? how can researchers who are systems thinkers begin to create the conditions in which those involved in public policy may flourish within their po…

is there really a place for systems thinking in government? what we're hearing from thought leaders - centre for public impact

explore the idea of systems thinking as a new model for government; a new way of doing, certainly, but also a new way of thinking and being.

support for policymakers | royal academy of engineering

engineering expertise meets policymaking practice - explore raeng programmes like policy fellowships and system approaches in government that bring systems thinking to government challenges

six steps of the systems thinking approach in policy design and why it matters? - nihr school for public health research

nihr sphr phd student ke zhou discusses her phd research about how systems approaches can be used to help tackle complex public policy issues. in social welfare and public health, we often aim to address challenging policy problems across many issues, disciplines, and, most importantly, governance departments. to successfully tackle complex questions, a variety of […]

systems thinking to improve e-government evaluation

worldwide there is increasing interest in both academic and government sectors to evaluate the different impacts of electronic government (e-government) systems. a number of predictive, cause-effect, linearly and functionally oriented models of evaluation have been proposed and applied. the focus of...

systems thinking means better collaborative infrastructure outcomes | mott macdonald

cross-industry support for a new systems thinking report will help the built environment sector to deliver joined-up approaches with better results for people, places and planet, says mott macdonald’s global cities lead and fellow, clare wildfire.

systems thinking: what is it and how do i apply it?

join our online event to explore the basics of systems thinking and why it

but does it work? evidence, policy-making and systems thinking comment on "what can policy-makers get out of systems thinking? policy partners’ experiences of a systems-focused research collaboration in preventive health"

systems thinking provides new ways of seeing the world, focusing attention on the relationship between elements in complex systems and the spaces inbetween. haynes study shows that many policy-makers valued systems thinking as a new way to approach ...

how systems thinking enhances systems leadership

by catherine hobbs and gerald midgley systems leadership involves organisations, including governments, collaborating to address complex issues and achieve necessary systemic transformations. so, i…

systems thinking: a holistic approach to problem-solving

systems thinking, a holistic approach to problem-solving, offers a powerful lens to navigate today’s interconnected world,

Does systems thinking make government policy better? How can systems thinking be integrated into government policy making? What role does systems thinking play in shaping government policy? How can governments apply systems thinking to policy? What is the value of systems thinking in government policy? Are government policies improved by systems thinking?
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