System Thinking and Systems Engineering in Project Management

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT 1
Project Management
Name
Institution Affiliation

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2
Introduction and summary of outcomes
System thinking is defined as a discipline used for viewing things as a whole and not
as distinct parts. Certainly, system thinking acknowledges that the world consists of things
that are hierarchically connected and technically arranged. Therefore, system thinking
recognises the relationship between interacting elements (Sankaran, Haslett, & Sheffield,
2010). Consequently, system thinking is being used to aid project managers who are used to
taking a deterministic and linear approach like Gantt chart which restrict project activities
into a rigid sequence. Since the project has become complex, there is need to develop
techniques to control this complexity. As a result, the application of system thinking is the
technique being used to manage this complexity in the following ways:
 System thinking is improving the realism of schedule and cost approximations by
acknowledging that project is not deterministic and can demand extra requirements
which were not initially anticipated leading to slowing down of the project.
Nevertheless, system thinking is playing a significant role in helping project managers
forestall and manage such effects.
 Enhancing integrity through close interaction between project managers and system
engineers to ensure fewer unforeseen surprises.
 System is thinking aid project managers to understand the need for involving
stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. I realised that a system view supports a
wider scope regarding the way a product should achieve the needs of stakeholders.
Consequently, we need system thinking in project management since traditional top-
down, linear and conquer techniques are a major reason for increased cases of unsuccessful
projects. Thus, system thinking comes in to complement the traditional top-down thinking
and not a substitute.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT 3
LO1
i. Summary
System thinking involves several tools which are used to aid us in generating and
organising information of our system that is the interesting situation. Certainly, these tools
allow project managers to investigate and respond to questions of the unified systems
approach. Some of the system thinking tools include a conceptual model, affinity diagram,
input-output diagram, and morphological box among others (Kerzner, 2017). In summary
system, thinking tools are classified as dynamic thinking tools, brainstorming tools,
computer-based tools, and structural tools. Thus, system thinking tools help project managers
by prompting questions and unleashing new opportunities and chances that cannot be
identified when components are viewed separately. Similarly, it helps to identify risks and
how to control these risks that originate from dependencies and interactions (Schnetler,
Clarke, & Rodrigues, 2018).
ii. Evidence
System thinking help to improve communication, speed up decision-making which leads
to realising of better service outcome or product.
LO2
i. Summary
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary area of engineering and engineering
management which concentrates on design and managing of complex systems throughout the
lifecycles. In this sense, system engineering uses the principles of systems thinking.
Accordingly, for a product to be developed both systems engineering and project
management are required. Therefore, the success of a complex project depends on an