The Product Manager The Systems Thinking Process Used by the Most Adaptable Product Leaders (with Sheryl Cababa, Author of Closing the Loop)
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Jun 24, 2025 Sheryl Cababa, author of *Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers* and founder of Optimistic Design, dives into the complexities of problem-solving. She discusses the importance of taking a systems approach before rushing to solutions. The conversation explores navigating change with AI, the role of designers as facilitators, and the ethical responsibilities of product leaders. With insights on mapping stakeholder dynamics and anticipating consequences, Sheryl encourages rethinking how decisions impact the broader organizational landscape.
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Systems Thinking Importance
- Systems thinking considers complexities around a challenge instead of linear simplistic solutions.
- Complex circumstances need a holistic problem-solving approach for better outcomes.
Broadening Design Lens
- Human-centered design often misses broader systemic factors like unintended consequences or cultural context.
- Systems thinking expands the lens to include incentives and stakeholder dynamics for solution success.
Assess Emerging Technologies Intentionally
- Interrogate assumptions about emerging tech’s impacts before adoption.
- Use tools like the futures wheel to explore intended and unintended consequences.
