Squirrel and Jeffrey dive deep into the complexities of systems thinking and its misunderstood role in project management. They dissect Ed Braden's critique, clarifying that misapplications shouldn't tarnish the discipline itself. The duo explores the intriguing 'strangler fig' pattern and its parallels in software and governance. With engaging debate, they tackle whether systems thinking truly leads to failure and connect it to the wider social and political landscape. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that challenges common misconceptions.
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insights INSIGHT
Misrepresentation Of Systems Thinking
Ed Braden and Works in Progress conflate systems thinking with its bad implementations, misrepresenting the discipline.
Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick argue the article attacks misuse rather than core systems thinking principles.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Reading Through A Software Lens
Douglas Squirrel admits he initially read Ed's article through a software lens and missed the government focus.
That caused him to question why systems thinking would be criticized, since it works well in software contexts.
insights INSIGHT
Editorial Tone Signals A Broader Rejection
Critics like Sam Bowman framed recommending systems thinking as a red flag, signaling deep animus toward the field.
The hosts see this as evidence the article is not merely critiquing misuse but attacking the concept broadly.
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Systems thinking isn’t the problem! In the second episode of a three-part series, Squirrel and Jeffrey revisit the contentious discussion around system thinking and their reaction to an article by Ed Braden. They clarify misconceptions about systems thinking, argue its benefits, and propose that it has shifted the 'Overton window' in project management.
Links:
- Ed Bradon's article: https://worksinprogress.co/issue/magical-systems-thinking/
- Part I of this series: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/systems-thinking-rant-redux-part-i
- Works in Progress magazine: https://worksinprogress.co/
- Strangler Fig pattern: https://martinfowler.com/bliki/StranglerFigApplication.html
- Overton window: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window
- Case studies Ed referred to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/systems-thinking-for-civil-servants/case-studies
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About Your Hosts
Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick joined forces at TIM Group in 2013, where they studied and practised the art of management through difficult conversations. Over a decade later, they remain united in their passion for growing profitable organisations through better communication.
Squirrel is an advisor, author, keynote speaker, coach, and consultant, and he's helped over 300 companies of all sizes make huge, profitable improvements in their culture, skills, and processes. You can find out more about his work here: douglassquirrel.com/index.html
Jeffrey is Vice President of Engineering at ION Analytics, Organiser at CITCON, the Continuous Integration and Testing Conference, and is an accomplished author and speaker. You can connect with him here: www.linkedin.com/in/jfredrick/
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