systems thinking
DESCRIPTION
Systems Thinking. Prof Roger Maull Innovation and Service Research University of Exeter [email protected]. Innovation and Service Research. Using systems theory to underpin service research (Information Processing) Service systems design Technical and experiential aspects. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Innovation and Service Research
Using systems theory to underpin service research (Information Processing)
Service systems design• Technical and experiential aspects.
Research on• Linking customer satisfaction/loyalty and BPM• Business process architectures• Importance of variety in process design• Process re-design guidelines• 5 components of BPM• Impact of capacity on systems performance • Complex service systems
Agenda
Why systems thinking is needed Systems Thinking
• Reductionism Systems Approaches
• SoSM• SSM/SD
Ashby LRV Lumpers or Splitters
Why Systems?
Managerial control problem
Incentives problem Staffing problem Boundary problem
No problem ‘phone hacking is not company practice’
Reductionism
Breaking problems down into their component parts
Analysis • Derives an explanation of the whole from an
explanation of the partsBUT
Assumptions
1. Weak connections. Law of unintended consequences
2. The relationship between the parts must be linear so that the parts can be summed together to make the whole. Non-linearity, time delays
3. Optimising each part will optimise the whole. Theory of second best
4. Closed system
Systems Thinking
the central concept of a system embodies the idea of a set of elements connected together which form a whole this showing properties which are properties of the whole rather than properties of its component parts. (Checkland 1981)
the relationships between the elements are just if not more important than the elements themselves the interconnections, the compatibility the effect of one upon the other…...must receive more attention that the parts (Forrester 1956 p 6)
Types of System
1. Natural Systems; hierarchy of physical systems which make up the
universe, (atoms, plants……) 2. Designed Physical Systems;
these systems occur because they have been designed, (bridge or an automated decision system)
3. Designed Abstract systems; Checkland calls the ordered conscious product of the
mind. Examples include mathematics or language or philosophy.
4. Human Activity Systems*Socio-Technical System; These consist of people carrying out purposeful activity
.
Systems thinking
Open systemsTraditionEmergence, Hierarchy
CyberneticsCommunication, Control
Management Systems
What is a system?
How does it behave?
Epistemology
Systems are encountered everywhere in the universe (Wu)
We constantly encounter and participate in numerous forms of systems (Smith).
Out there to be discovered. OR Heuristic device, a mental tool to aid in
discovery (Weinberg)
Systems Thinking
Problem contexts become more difficult to manage as they exhibit greater complexity, change and diversity, arising from two sources:
Systems – as they become larger and subject to more turbulence• (simple to complex)
Participants – (those with an interest in the problem situation) as their values beliefs and interests start to diverge• (unitary to pluralistic to coercive)
Syst
ems
simple / pluralistSimple / unitary simple / coercive
coercive
Complex / unitary
Participants
complex / coercive
Systems DynamicsOrganisational CyberneticsComplexity theory
complex / pluralist
Post Modern
pluralist
Emancipatory
unitary
Hard Systems Thinking:Operations Research
complex
Soft SystemsApproaches
simple
Systems Thinking Approaches
Analysis based on M.C. Jackson’s System of System Methodologies
Systems Dynamics
emergencyadmission rate
MAU occupancy
medical bedoccupancy
Risk of not meeting4 hr target
ED occupancy
GP referral rate
++ +
MAU diversion toED rate
+
+
+
number of medicaloutliers
+
Length of Stay+
MedicalDischarge Rate
-
Causal Loop Diagram - impact on anNHS hospital system of medical
admission rate and availability ofcontinuing care
Admission tomedical beds rate
+
+
Balancingfeedbackloop
+
Use of temporaryinpatient beds
Staff workload
+
+
Request extraward rounds
+
+
+
Risk of harm topatients
-
+
+
Risk of cancellingelective patients
+
Risk of breachingRTT targets
+
BalancingFeedback Loop
+Batching of work+
-
Staff fatigue
+
+
Availability of continuingcare (NHS or Social)
-
-
Surgical bedoccupancy +
+
Income
Costs
Cash ReleasingEfficiency Savings
+
++
+
+
Planned financialsurplus
+
-
SSM
1. Learn about a problem situation2. Formulate purposeful activity
models3. Debate the situation using the
models• Desirable and culturally feasible• Accommodations between
conflicting interests 4. Take action to improve
HOW DOES AN OPEN SYSTEM BEHAVE?
Variety
Ashby’s law of requisite variety
D T E
R
D T E
Variety
How much variety does a service process* have to absorb?• What is the input? • How much variety is there?• What are the different types?
• Service processes have a significant customer input (Sampson UST)
• 4 types, customer self, mind, information and belongings
Types of variety?
What variability?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8
Everyone wants something different
DSC03439
Types of Variability (Frei)
1. Arrival, customers arrive at different times2. Request, customers want different things3. Capability, the capability of the customer
involved in producing the service 4. Effort, how much effort the customer puts in5. Subjective preference – customers opinion on
the service experience
If we have variability we need to know how muchWhy?
Volume
Qualities of “variety”*
Simple count of states Actual time of disturbance Frequency of occurrence of each state Spread / Closeness of states Impact of each state
* Capri conference paper
The disturbance model
Qualities
Components
Variety as a count: how many different states can dimension be in
Real time – when does the disturbance occur
Frequency of occurrence of each state
Spread of states
Impact of each state
Arrival Volume
Arrival time
Requests made by/for customers
Capability of customer to do
Effort customer willing to exert
Subjective preference for how delivered
Useful things about ‘systems thinking’
Systemic concepts eg boundary, Weltanschauung, relationships, control, systemic concepts
It doesn’t arbitrarily split things up• Conforms more closely to problems of the ‘real world’
Checkland’s, what? how? why?• System in focus ±1
Systems thinkers have a problem with cause/effect
Tricky things
Its a great idea but its hard Systems journals are 1-2*, soft OR does
get published in 3-4* Doesn’t build theory
• Is it ‘a theory’? (it doesn’t say if this then this)
Issues
Advice, buy a copy, read it, let it influence you BUT don’t build your research on it
Recognise you have ‘reduced’, make that clear, consider the limitations
Are you a lumper or a splitter?