Systems Thinking and Beyond

Dr Joseph Kasser
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The AI team take a deep dive into successful innovative tools, practical and conceptual applications of systems thinking and beyond and systems engineering to various types of problems, summarizing the concepts behind the successes and usually drawing general conclusions for how the concepts may be used in other situations. The opinions expressed by the AI team in each deep dive are their own and have not been edited in any way. While systems thinking provides an understanding of the problematic situation, you need to go beyond systems thinking to create solutions, especially innovative solutions. Join my LinkedIn group (Tackling complex problems) and discuss the content of the podcasts (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13991392/)

Episodes

  1. 26/12/2025

    Seeing the Forest for the Trees

    The AI team takes a deep dive into Dennis Sherwood's 2007 book Seeing the Forest for the Trees, a manager's guide to applying systems thinking, which provides managers with a structured framework to navigate and master the inherent complexity of organizational life. By utilizing causal loop diagrams, leaders can visualize the interconnected nature of business problems, moving beyond the linear, isolated perspectives often found in traditional spreadsheets. The text distinguishes between reinforcing loops, which act as engines for exponential growth or decline, and balancing loops, which stabilize systems toward specific goals. Through various case studies, such as back-office staffing and global warming, Sherwood illustrates how time delays and feedback mechanisms frequently lead to unintended consequences. Ultimately, the author argues that adopting this holistic view fosters wisdom and better teamwork by making individual mental models explicit and shared. This approach transforms the management of an organization into a more robust process of "taming" complexity rather than being overwhelmed by it. As listeners to this podcast should be aware, there is more to systems thinking than using causal loops. However the book is an excellent souirce of informationon causal loops.

    15 min

  2. 21/12/2025

    PRINCE2 for Dummies: a book review

    The AI team taxes a deep dive in the book 'PRINCE2 for Dummies'. Despite its title, the book is a comprehensive guidebook serving as a practical manual for individuals entering the field of project management. It provides a structured framework for the entire project life cycle, from drafting a business case and project charter to final closure and retrospection. Key instructional areas include building a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), managing resource allocation, and navigating various organizational environments. The authors emphasize the human element by offering strategies for leading diverse teams, managing stakeholder expectations, and improving communication. Additionally, the text covers essential technical tools, such as Gantt charts, network diagrams, and Earned Value Management, for tracking performance. Ultimately, the source aims to equip readers with the mindset and technical skills required to deliver successful results in traditional, Agile, or hybrid settings.

    16 min

  3. 16/12/2025

    Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®

    The AI team takes a deep dive into the PeopleCert book Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 (2023) which serves as a comprehensive guide to the project management methodology. The content covers the seven PRINCE2 principles, such as "ensure continued business justification" and "focus on products," and introduces the seven practices: Business Case, Organizing, Plans, Quality, Risk, Issues, and Progress, which describe essential project management aspects. Furthermore, the source details the project lifecycle processes, including (1) Starting up a project, (2) Directing a project, (3) Initiating a project, (4) Controlling a stage, (5) Managing a stage boundary, (6) Managing product delivery, and (7) Closing a project, explaining the activities, objectives, and responsibilities for each. It also outlines the various management products such as the Business Case, Risk Register, and Issue Report, which are crucial for effective control and communication within a project's framework, emphasizing the importance of tailoring the method to suit different project contexts and scales. The book is available on Amazon, together with similar books on managing projects with PRINCE2

    14 min

  4. 03/12/2025

    Whistleblowing in INCOSE

    The AI team takes a hilarious deep dive into the official correspondence and internal memoranda related to a grievance filed by Joe Kasser against several officers of INCOSE, the International Council on Systems Engineering. The initial letters from December 2014 inform Kasser that an informal committee decided to ban him from presenting at the next two symposia (IS 2015-2016) and reject his submitted papers due to past "non-conciliatory" behavior during panel discussions in 2012 and 2014. Kasser's extensive replies protest the ban, alleging that the process was handled by a "kangaroo court" in violation of INCOSE policies. Subsequent communications document the attempts to resolve the grievance, including the President-Elect's initial determination to cancel the sanction and subject Kasser's papers to peer review, which Kasser found unsatisfactory because the "guilty verdict" remained and the issue of policy violations was completely ignored. The final letter, dated December 2015, concludes the formal grievance review, ignored the root cause of the complaint, namely policy violations confirming Kasser's and the named officers' good standing, declining to issue reprimands, and stating that the matter is resolved because one of Kasser's papers was ultimately accepted and presented at IS 2015, a conclusion Kasser deemed unacceptable. If you are an INCOSE member, why not try to find out why the process focused on the actions of the kangaroo court and ignored the violations of the bylaws. Post the question in the official (members only) INCOSE LinkedIn group, or email it to info@incose.net. Please let me know if you get an answer and/or if your posted question is deleted or ignored.

    14 min

  5. 24/11/2025

    Managerialism and Process Failure in the Old Aerospace Industry

    The AI team takes a deep dive into an unpublished manuscript, written by an anonymous engineer, which presents a critical analysis of the "Formal Systems Engineering Process" (FSEP) prevalent in the older, large-scale aerospace and defense contracting industries. The author argues that FSEP, combined with an ideology called "Managerialism," fosters an inefficient, top-down bureaucratic culture that stifles innovation and leads to high costs and reduced reliability. This system, characterized by excessive reliance on formal requirements, spreadsheets, micromanagement, and favoritism, is contrasted with the more effective, meritocratic, and flexible "Agile" methodologies used by Silicon Valley and "NewSpace" companies, which empower design specialists. The source concludes with extensive recommendations for both companies and government agencies to abandon FSEP in favor of decentralized, expertise-driven approaches to improve performance and competitiveness.

    14 min

  6. 29/09/2025

    AI: anecdotes, experiences, and hallucinations

    The AI team take a deep dive into a talk that shares experiences using AI as a smart search engine, how it can provide new insights when using AI as a search engine, and assist with writing textbooks, conference and journal papers, in the classroom, in systems engineering tools, creating images and graphics, creating and debugging software, marketing, self-reflection, creating podcasts and presentations. The talk also covers some ethics and the potential for scams. The talk discusses the dialog and iterative active listening needed for effective communication. It warns that the AI is a great sycophant, apologizes very well, and tends to hallucinate, so that we need to ‘trust but verify’ Al the information it produces. The talk concludes that AI is a very useful tool, but has to be treated as an apprentice who has access to a lot of information but needs to be guided and constantly checked. The talk was given at the BCS SQM XXXIII 2025 International Quality Conference on 19 September 2025. The YouTube URL of the recording is https://youtu.be/0LPqiMA_j-0

    15 min

  7. 09/09/2025

    Systemic and Systematic Project Management

    The AI takes a deep dive into the book "Systemic and Systematic Project Management" by J. Kasser (2019), exploring project management as a problem-solving paradigm that emphasizes the need for both systemic thinking, which considers the whole system, and systematic thinking, which involves a methodical, step-by-step approach. The book details various aspects of project lifecycle management, including planning methodologies like the "build a little test a little" method, cost and schedule estimation, and risk management strategies such as CRIP and ETL charts. It also addresses the human element in projects, discussing team staffing, motivation, communication, and ethical considerations. Throughout the text, complex project scenarios are broken down and explained using frameworks such as the System Development Process (SDP) and various levels of thinking, providing a comprehensive guide to successful project execution and problem resolution.

    16 min

  8. 31/07/2025

    Systems Engineering: A Paradigm Shift Analysis

    The AI team takes a deep dive into research that began with the question, “Why do systems engineering textbooks cover such different material while claiming to represent the same discipline?”. The research investigates the evolution of systems engineering over seven decades, hypothesizing a paradigm shift rather than mere topical variation in literature. Utilizing AI-assisted analysis of textbooks from 1950 to 2023, the study identifies three evolutionary phases: an initial engineering science dominance, a subsequent transition period, and a current fragmentation characterized by the predominance of administrative approaches. The paper argues that this shift, from emphasizing analytical problem-solving to focusing on process coordination, has significant implications for education and practice, potentially explaining inconsistencies and challenges in the field. It also highlights how Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and INCOSE certifications may reinforce the administrative paradigm, calling for further systematic validation of these preliminary findings. The preliminary analysis suggests a fundamental transformation in systems engineering. While the findings require validation through more rigorous research, they offer a framework for understanding disciplinary fragmentation. The paper advocates for "thoughtful integration that preserves the problem-solving capabilities necessary for breakthrough innovation as core professional competence, while maintaining the organizational coordination benefits of formal administrative process frameworks as supporting professional capabilities." This "systematic integration of both paradigms" is seen as the "greatest challenge and the greatest opportunity for the future of systems engineering education and practice."

    18 min

  9. 03/07/2025

    Applying Total Quality Management to systems engineering

    The AI team take a deep dive into a 30-year old book, "Applying Total Quality Management to Systems Engineering," explores various facets of systems engineering within a Total Quality Management (TQM) framework. It details the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), outlining phases from requirements definition and design to implementation, testing, and maintenance. The author emphasizes the importance of cost-effective engineering, process improvement, and risk mitigation, introducing concepts like anticipatory testing and metrics for product and process quality. Furthermore, the text examines contractual considerations, proposal development, and the critical role of effective communication and teamwork in achieving successful project outcomes, concluding with discussions on professional ethics and organizational improvement strategies. Save money, the book is available from pre-owned or used book suppliers are very reasonable prices.

    22 min

  10. 06/05/2025

    The top 5 reasons why you can’t write good requirements

    The AI team take a deep dive into a webinar in which Dr Joseph Kasser, outlines the top five reasons for difficulties in writing good requirements and proposes solutions. It highlights innovations in systems engineering, project management, and postgraduate education developed by the author. Kasser introduces unique learning programs utilizing the "Evercourse" lifelong learning format to address these challenges. The webinar emphasizes practical knowledge and experience, offering affordable membership for professionals seeking to improve their skills. Ultimately, it serves as an invitation to learn more about overcoming common pitfalls in requirement writing through Kasser's methodologies. Further information may be found at https://therightrequirement.com/educational-opportunities/how-to-write-good-requirements/ To find out how to join the course and its unique affordable cost, book a free call via the contact form at https://therightrequirement.com/the-right-requirement/contact/

    19 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

The AI team take a deep dive into successful innovative tools, practical and conceptual applications of systems thinking and beyond and systems engineering to various types of problems, summarizing the concepts behind the successes and usually drawing general conclusions for how the concepts may be used in other situations. The opinions expressed by the AI team in each deep dive are their own and have not been edited in any way. While systems thinking provides an understanding of the problematic situation, you need to go beyond systems thinking to create solutions, especially innovative solutions. Join my LinkedIn group (Tackling complex problems) and discuss the content of the podcasts (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13991392/)

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Joseph Kasser
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024-2025 Joseph Kasser
  • Show Website
    Systems Thinking and Beyond