Applying Systems Thinking to Product Management
Why taking a step back and zooming out matters.
Systems Thinking in Product Management
In this article, we’ll cover:
What is Systems Thinking
The difference between systematic and systemic
How Systems Thinking can improve how you work as a Product Manager
How to apply a basic Systems tool.
What is Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking has been a buzzword with colleagues I’ve worked with for years. I’ve heard senior management use the term to describe how they want to deliver using a systems approach, often for the associated projects to be anything but systemic in nature.
Systems Thinking means looking at parts or components of a whole and how they interrelate. This is opposed to reductionally focusing on fewer parts and the properties of parts in isolation. Applying Systems Thinking means moving beyond linear thinking. Linear thinking is cause-and-effect, one cause has one effect. Nonlinear thinking is more flexible and adaptable. It allows individuals to think outside the box, recognise relationships, take multiple perspectives and to consider a wider range of possibilities
For example, when working as part of a team, a systemic thinking approach looks at how you might interact with individual members of the team and the team as a whole. This can help better understand the results of the team and how its members work together. You can read further examples of Systems Thinking in this article Systemic thinking examples (with definitions and benefits).
The difference between systematic and systemic
I’ve added this section, because too often these words are used interchangeably, when they are actually quite distinct.
Let's break them down:
Systematic - done or acting according to a fixed plan or system; methodical.
Systemic - relating to a system, especially as opposed to a particular part.
So systematic means when you do something in a specified order. You undertake an activity through steps, e.g. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Whilst Systemic means you look at the whole, your applying systems thinking. If something is systematically broken, it means stages or steps are broken, if something is systemically broken, then the whole is broken (all stages).
How Systems Thinking can improve how you work as a Product Manager
Applying Systems Thinking provides many benefits to you as a Product Manager, here are some takeaways:
Have a wider perspective
It reduces fragmentation and enables you to see a problem or situation as a whole. This reduces uncertainty and ambiguity, which in turn supports you to have greater confidence in decision making and reach desired goals and objectives.
Tackle the cause of the problem
Embracing a wider problem, rather than focusing on a single component means that the root cause can be addressed, rather than the symptom.
Become better connected
By understanding the wider process your product is part of, you can build connections with other teams who manage upstream or downstream components. Learning what they need and the problems they face can create better outcomes for everyone and lead to innovative ways to work together.
Visualise the whole
Visualising components of a system as a whole enables you to discover it easier, you are able to document how the system works, which can be useful to bring others along on the exploratory journey. You can use this visualisation to explain to stakeholders and others within your team the landscape your product sits within. This can also help you to define scope and responsibilities.
John Cutler, a well known product manager writes:
“In terms of product management, systems thinking is about situational awareness: the ability to accurately perceive the elements in your environment, with respect to time, space, meaning, and their status and future status after a variable has changed.”
You can read more from John Cutler on Systems Thinking and Product Management through ProductPlans article Systems Thinking for Product Managers.
How to apply a basic Systems tool
Next, we’ll focus on how you can begin your journey into applying Systems Thinking by using a basic systems thinking method, the Systems Map. Note that this is just one of many tools and methods you can apply to understand systems better.
Systems maps allow you to visualise components within the wider system they sit within. The act of creating one, draws out your knowledge of the system, but also identifies what you don't yet know, provoking questions which you can seek out answers to. By completing one, you’ll become more aware of the system and landscape your product resides. Furthermore, systems maps enable you to structure a system and communicate the results to others, experiment with boundaries and where to focus.
Let's take the example of a university department as an example. Assuming that you are a Product Manager developing an application to manage student attendance in this department.
Note that the map is basic in its design, I have intentionally chosen this image to exemplify that you do not need complex design tools or applications to create one. You can complete a systems map on paper, whiteboard, Microsoft Paint or any other drawing software.
To create this, you would follow these simple steps, this can be undertaken on your own or with colleagues or stakeholders:
Identify the components you know are part of the application, in this case:
Faculty members (who observe and document attendance)
Undergraduate students (who need to attend)
Graduate students (who may attend through invitation)
Laboratory sessions (what students attend)
Head of department (who reviews attendance)
You then add these onto your diagram and circle each one.
Bound these together by circling all of them and name the system, in this case ‘Department system’. This delineates your systems focus.
It's important to also identify what is outside of the department's system, this does not need to be exhaustive. Clarify your system by adding these outside of your circled system. For example, Rector's Office and General Admin. These are not part of the Department System as attendance in this case is managed within each department and not by the Rector nor General Administration. In this case, these are within the wider ‘Environment’.
Remember, you may find that through dialog and exploration, that these themselves are part of a wider system, in which case you can add a further layer to the onion, in this case ‘University Management’.
Finally, iterate and share. You will want to collaborate with others, learn and evolve the systems map. Seek feedback as you reach out to explore the system.
In summary
Systems Thinking can help you to understand complexity and can support you to create systemic solutions and bridge gaps of knowledge. It helps you to have a wider perspective, become better connected to others, visualise the whole and tackle the cause of the problem, not the symptom
There are many methods and tools that can be applied to support you. A systems map is a good place to start with your Systems Thinking journey. You could also consider working with colleagues to create a Rich picture to collaboratively gather knowledge on a situation or system.
In future articles I will further other methods and tools, and remember, systemic and systematic are not the same!
 | A guest post by
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Systems Thinking is a core skill of product managers, because virtually all problems to be solved / jobs to be done are part of a broader system.