6 Summary
An overriding principle of STiP is praxis (theory-in-action); an interplay between ‘knowing’ (understanding) and ‘doing’ (practising).Systems thinking in practice is best expressed through ‘being’ both systemic (knowing through holistic lens/ getting the bigger picture/seeing the forest through the trees etc.) and ‘being’ systematic (doing through joined-up-practice).
A basic systems thinking literacy can help with understanding the ‘thinking’ of STiP. Relational thinking signals the systemic importance of understanding inter-relationships (uIR) between entities in any situation of interest. Perspective thinking provides a continual reminder that ‘systems’ are conceptually bounded (rather than real-world) entities with boundaries (co)constructed ultimately by purpose. The activity of engaging multiple perspectives (eMP) is therefore a core systematically-informed activity of STiP.
Adaptive thinking requires humility in reflecting on boundary judgements (rBJ) of systems design (limitations of understanding all interrelationships, and inevitable partiality with engaging all perspectives equally) in the context of changing real-world situations of interest, and revising boundary judgements accordingly. Adaptive thinking in practice is the ultimate expression of STiP praxis.
The five systems approaches have historic traditions that align with particular ways of thinking: SD and VSM aligned with uIR and relational thinking; SODA (with cognitive mapping) and SSM aligned with eMP and perspective thinking; and CSH aligned more with rBJ and adaptive thinking. But each approach is not trapped by its historic tradition. Practitioners continue to adapt tools from these approaches for covering all three activities of STiP.
Each approach has its own specific literacies in addition to the core systems literacies introduced in this course. Importantly, as you move on towards understanding the practice of STiP in the next part of this course, the literacy of STiP associated with relational, perspective and adaptive thinking is an endeavour that ought to be seen as complementing rather than replacing existing literacies of professional practice. This is what makes STiP a truly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinaryendeavour.