Systems Thinking & Constraints
Positioning
Some of the Failure Patterns addressed in this site appear in situations where, even though individual decisions and improvements are rational, the behavior of the whole deteriorates.
Systems Thinking and Theory of Constraints provide a perspective for capturing whole-system behavior that appears as a result of interactions, rather than optimization at the element level.
Here, the structure itself in which optimal local decisions do not necessarily lead to desirable overall outcomes is treated as a design target.
Scope
This Appendix does not address specific optimization methodologies or practical methods of constraint analysis.
Bottleneck analysis and business flow design are referenced only as one means of expression for understanding whole-system behavior.
Specific methodologies for organizational design or process improvement are not addressed in this site.
Mapping
The following organizes the correspondence between elements in this site and concepts related to Systems Thinking / constraint theory.
| Element in Main Text | Position in Systems Thinking / Constraints Lineage |
|---|---|
| Local Optimization Trap | State where local rationality impedes global optimization |
| Countermeasures | Intervention to reset decision criteria based on whole-system behavior |
| Resulting Context | State where local decisions align with overall goals |
Rationale
One of the assumptions indicated by Systems Thinking is that system behavior is determined not by the properties of individual elements, but by relationships among elements.
Theory of Constraints likewise emphasizes the need to concentrate decisions on the constraints that govern whole-system behavior, rather than indiscriminately increasing improvement targets.
Local Optimization Trap presents an example where a situation is established as a structure in which overall purpose is lost as a result of improvement motivation and efficiency efforts.
References
- Donella H. Meadows, Thinking in Systems: A Primer, 2008.
- Eliyahu M. Goldratt, Jeff Cox, The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement, 1984.
- Russell L. Ackoff, Redesigning the Future: A Systems Approach to Societal Problems, 1974.