Holistic Flexibility for Deploying Systems Thinking as a Cognitive Skill

Abstract

Considering Systems Thinking (ST) as a cognitive skill can create greater acceptability of and openness to the discipline from practitioners and researchers outside operations research and management science. Rather than associating ST with frameworks and methodologies, ST as a cognitive skill can help popularize and democratize the discipline. This paper highlights how the conceptual lens of Holistic Flexibility can help practitioners deploy ST as a cognitive skill without the application of any traditional systems methodology. Holistic Flexibility is defined as the dynamic interplay between a state of mind that has the ability to absorb systemic complexity and a state of practice that has the ability to embrace flexibility, both in intent and in form. Through two case-studies, discussions in this paper highlight how Holistic Flexibility can serve as a conceptual lens for systems practitioners. The case-studies demonstrate the importance of a practitioner’s ability to seamlessly manage and work with multiple variables, stakeholders, and factors to deliver responsible outcomes with the aid of learning loops. The main contribution of this paper lies in the case-studies and analyses presented that provide use cases for Holistic Flexibility in ST, which will help address recent calls in the discipline for ST to be considered as a cognitive skill.

The challenge of inclusivity, capability and change in complex, multi‐stakeholder problem situations—Practical insight from the application of participative systems methods, models and facilitation within an organisational setting

“…This situation required the facilitators, individually or collectively, to be 'tuned-in' to the changing nature of the problem situation, to possess experience and capability in the informed use of alternative systems thinking and to be prepared to adapt and introduce these approaches as appropriate, to improve the problem situation. These capabilities are consistent with Jackson's commitments of critical systems thinking (Jackson, 2003(Jackson, , 2020 and their internalisation by the facilitator appears congruous with Chowdhury's principles of holistic flexibility (Chowdhury, 2019(Chowdhury, , 2023.…”

Developing and assessing pre- and in-service science and engineering teachers’ systems thinking and modeling skills through an asynchronous online course

“…Arnold and Wade (2017) called for a more approachable language for those lacking profound systems knowledge, one accessible outside the systems community. We agree with this because we believe that making systems thinking and conceptual modeling accessible calls for combining different approaches: primarily an explicit systems ontology (e.g., Rates et al, 2022), against the background of treating systems thinking as a cognitive skill like any other skill, which is not reserved only for the systems community (Chowdhury, 2023).…”

“…In this context, ontology can be defined as the explicit formal specification of the nature and structure of a system, described in terms of categories and relations (Guarino et al, 2009). Chowdhury (2023), conversely, argued that instead of enclosing systems thinking in a framework that is loaded with professional language, considering systems thinking as a cognitive skill might lead to its greater acceptability by a wider target audience. Verhoeff et al (2018) claimed that given the current research knowledge of how to foster higher-order systems thinking skills and the conflicting curricular considerations, a complete curricular program of systems thinking teaching is not yet possible.…”

Creative and flexible deployment of systems methodologies for child rights and child protection through Holistic Flexibility

“…This can be treated as an example of how systems methods, ‘if used correctly, will deliver a desired outcome’ (Jackson, 2020; p. 20). Other studies (Chowdhury, 2019c, 2019d, 2021, 2022b, 2023; Jackson, 2000, 2019, 2020; Midgley, 1989; Mingers, 2000; Mingers & Brocklesby, 1997; Pollack, 2009; Reynolds, 2014; Sushil, 1994, 1997) have also noted the benefit of flexible and creative use of systems methodologies in complex settings. This corroborates the pragmatic view that deployment of systems methodologies needs to be led by the end to justify the means (Ormerod, 2014; Taket & White, 1996, 2000).…”

“…2 | HOLISTIC FLEXIBILITY Chowdhury (2019aChowdhury ( , 2021Chowdhury ( , 2022aChowdhury ( , 2022bChowdhury ( , 2023 reviewed key issues in applied systems thinking before presenting Holistic Flexibility as a conceptual lens for the discipline. He defines Holistic Flexibility as the 'dynamic interplay between a state of mind that has the ability to absorb systemic complexity and a state of intervention that has the ability to embrace flexibility both in intent and form' (Chowdhury, 2019a, p. 404); see Figure 1.…”