What are the benefits of using systems thinking in government policy?

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

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 and strategic foresight for national planning

in a world of rapid change and complex challenges, governments are increasingly recognizing the need to think ahead, plan better, and work together. the ministry of finance, national planning and trade of seychelles realized the potential of strategic foresight and systems thinking for adopting a more integrated approach to strategic planning. what started as a collaboration between the government of seychelles, the resident coordinator office (rco) for mauritius and seychelles in 2022, the united nations department of economic and social affairs (un desa), and unitar, is gradually evolving into a way of working for the ministry.

why systems thinking isn

systems thinking very much has a role to play across all government priorities.

launching “systemic” – a game for applying systems change thinking to policy  – policy lab

this blog launches “systemic” – a game that simulates how policy-making systems function and possible shifts that can be made to improve policy outcomes. systemic has been inspired by the world of board games, and was co-created by policy lab

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 ...

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 ...

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

systems approaches - observatory of public sector innovation

systems thinking brings problems to the surface, making it easier for governments to collectively develop, influence and shape solutions, including in relation to grand missions, policy domains and governments themselves.

how systems thinking enhances systems leadership - realkm

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

systems thinking for better social policy: a case study in financial wellbeing | journal of social policy | cambridge core

systems thinking for better social policy: a case study in financial wellbeing

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

systems thinking for better policy and practice

last month we had a really interesting ibspn seminar on applications of systemic thinking to behaviour change. using a systems lens to explore behavioural challenges in policy development can lead to impactful and holistic policy solutions.

systems thinking – local government utopia

posts about systems thinking written by lancingfarrell

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...

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.

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...

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……”

policy analysis in 750 words: three systems evaluation

there is much to be said for systems thinking or a systems-informed approach to key tasks such as evaluation. if the policy problem is complex, then we would not expect a single shot solution to wo…

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…

better decision-making: how systems thinking can transform the built environment - qolf

better decisions emerge when we think across systems - understanding how different policies influence health outcomes and economic vitality

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.

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...

systems thinking for impactful innovation (ddn2-a48) - csps

this article explores the importance of systems thinking as a mindset for designing, developing, procuring and delivering products, services, programs and policies, and how to apply it to product management.

allthatsleft.co.uk - blog – can systems thinking improve government policy?

new ideas for improving policy making cannot mask the shortfall in funding that many public services are facing.

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: a holistic approach to problem-solving

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

Can systems thinking optimize government policy development? Can systems thinking lead to better government policies? Is systems thinking effective for government policy making? Why use systems thinking in government policy? How can systems thinking be integrated into government policy making? Can systems thinking solve government policy problems?

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Is systems thinking useful for government policy?