System Thinking Tools in Project Management: An Essay

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GROUP ESSAY PPMP20012

The system thinking tools plays an effective role in enhancing the completion of the project by
applying & implementing various tools such as the dynamic tools, brainstorming tools, tools
which are based on computer and other structured tools. The system thinking approach is the
powerful approach that enables the deep level of understanding for handling the multiple
situations faced by the project managers. With the help of this approach, the project managers
can also ensure the best & greater results in the standard as well as in an appropriate manner. The
unique & innovative tools or techniques of system thinking were being designed so that they can
be applied by using the standard combination for achieving deeper insights into the dynamic
behavior or situations.
An effective argument is being developed on which certain evidence will be demonstrated in the
essay. The developed argument is "the system thinking tools can solve any kind of the problem
of project managers". Various aspects were being discussed of different theories & ideas that are
to be related to the system thinking tools which are being described & illustrated as below:
General systems management
The effective principles were being discovered & identified that are included in the theory of
general systems management for solving the complex problems faced by the project executives
while performing all the activities related to the project. Ludwig von Bertalanffy introduced this
theory in 1968. The relativity of perception is being recognized with the help of this systems
theory for expanding the higher level of understanding in the whole universe (Swanson, et.al.
2012). A general framework is being provided to the project managers so that they can
effectively & efficiently examine & understand the dynamics of the environment. The project
managers are also able to apply the common effective method to study the societal as well as the
different organizational patterns. The constructive power is being emphasized by the project
managers for constructing & controlling the favorable models of the project systems. The proper
development & application of the unifying principles is the main purpose of the general systems
management theory through the integration of various sciences (Sturmberg, et.al. 2014).
This theory completely works as the proper evidence for the developed argument as it enables
the intelligent project managers for avoiding the major complexities found in the project. Also,

the exciting & favorable opportunities are being available to all of them that offers them to
enhance the great level of innovation as well as the creative, unique or sustainable development
(Swanson, et.al. 2012).
Organizational forms, structure & culture
Various beliefs, values, assumptions & different ways are being underlined by the organizational
culture that helps the project managers to essentially contribute towards the unique psychological
as well as the social environment within the business organization. The concept of organizational
culture is very necessary for all the project managers as it provides all the executives working for
the project works on the common direction or platform (Swanson, et.al. 2012). Stronger the
culture of the organization, stronger will it shape the patterns of organizational decision making,
drive the individual behavior of all the project members & guide the various actions taken by the
project managers towards the appropriate direction.
The project managers can effectively perform all those activities such as the proper identification
& allocation of the organizational tasks, enhance proper coordination & supervising all the
activities that are to be performed essentially for achieving the defined aims & objectives of the
business organization (Sturmberg, et.al. 2014). The complete action is being greatly affected by
the structure of the business organization. The favorable organizational structures enable the
project manages to identify all the issues faced by them related to the organizational projects &
ensure the smooth running of all the projects successfully. It also enables the proper sharing of
the information so that the great level of productivity & efficiency can be enhanced along with
eliminating the increased chaos & stress of all those workers working for the project
accomplishment (Cabrera, et.al. 2015). The favorable structure of the business organization also
helps other functional or operational managers for the increased level of cooperation & higher
support.
The different forms of business organization, different structure & overall culture of the business
organization can help the project managers to properly track all the activities so that the level of
complexity can be measured & the better working environment can be ensured, favorably &
positively (Sturmberg, et.al. 2014). In this manner, this theory also completely works as the

effective evidence for the developed argument, because not only the project managers can solve
the complex issues but also enhance the smooth running of the project management.
Value management
The main aim of value management is to highly improve & enhance the sustainable or the
standard balance among the different needs, wants as well as the requirements of multiple
stakeholders along with providing them with all the resources that can satisfy their increasing
needs (Cabrera, et.al. 2015). It develops the standard combination between the effective tools &
methods needed to plan & develop the optimum balance among the benefits of the project in the
context of the overall cost & risk of the whole business organization. With the help of this
concept of value management, the project managers can effectively, properly & easily measure
the overall performance of the whole project. The main work of this theory or the concept is to
highly focus upon the value of the project rather than the amount of cost that is to be incurred, in
the context of the function of all the elements included in the project (Nuri Cihat Onat, et.al.
2017).
Therefore, the concept of value management is being considered as the problem solving &
proactive system that plays an important role in all the projects, effectively & efficiently. As in
the case of Texas City and Deepwater Horizon, the standard tool was not being identified by the
project managers & they were not able to maintain the standard balance between the increasing
level of needs & demands of different organizational stakeholders (Cabrera, et.al. 2015).
Therefore, for solving these kinds of problems, the system of value management is very effective
& appropriate. The activities can be accomplished properly according to the defined priorities.
Hence, it has also been proved that this theory of value management also properly & suitably
provide the evidence in the relation of the identified argument in a favorable manner (Nuri Cihat
Onat, et.al. 2017).
Management risk & engineering risk
The proper identification, assessment, evaluation & prioritization of the organizational risks are
involved under the concept of risk management. The higher level of coordination & control is
being enhanced with the help of this concept along with eliminating the negative events as well

as realizing the maximum favorable opportunities (Nuri Cihat Onat, et.al. 2017). It has been
founded that the concepts of risk & engineering risk management help the project managers to
predict the problems in advance only so that they can take & implement the preventive measures,
effectively & efficiently. The project managers can create & develop the risk register, identify
the higher level of risks as well as the favorable opportunities, determine the various responses in
against of the risks & review all the risks regularly. Through all these steps, the risks can be
prioritized & favorable responses can be developed for completing the whole project.
For argument, it has been identified that the useful paradigm is being provided to the project
managers with the help of the risk management concept. Unique & innovative approaches are
being identified, developed & implemented for resolving the complex problems so that the
project can run in the effective as well as in an efficient manner (Li, et.al. 2012). Hence, it has
been said that if in the case of Texas City and Deepwater Horizon, the use of paradigm could be
ensured & enhanced, then the project managers could have suitably achieved the defined goals &
acquired the unique as well as the innovative capabilities of technical nature.
System engineering
The main aim or the purpose of system engineering concept is to properly manage & highly
monitor those systems & infrastructure which are already being installed. Some of the effective
tools of system engineering include the installation, testing, application software, configuration
& maintaining of the operating systems. With the help of this concept, the project managers can
ensure the higher level of systems & ensure the largest availability of the infrastructure. The
unnecessary work or the activities can be removed to eliminate the increased chances of wasting
the time, materials, money, energy, machines & other resources (Li, et.al. 2012). The unique &
efficient processes along with the systems of engineering can be optimized that can highly
improve the increased level of quality & productivity.
The project executives & managers can develop transparent solutions for solving the multiple
problems about the system engineering to highly support the thriving solutions, suitably &
appropriately. Therefore, the argument is fully in favor of this concept as per the standards of
AS/NZS 15288 Systems Engineering. According to it, the unique capabilities & requirements
can be accomplished of various stakeholders related to the project (Kim, et.al. 2014).

Linkages
The project managers can greatly link all the different theories among each other so that all the
goals & objectives of the project which are defined can be achieved in the suitable as well as in
an appropriate manner. All the project executives highly need to understand that the overall
culture & structure of the business organization essentially needs to be developed & enhanced
favorably so that all the various needs & demands of all the stakeholders can be achieved,
favorably (Li, et.al. 2012).
The principles of different strategies, methods & concept have been discussed that says that
aligning the portfolio of the dynamic working environment is very necessary for accordance with
the corporate strategy. The principle of closing projects confidentiality took up the hard look for
analyzing the multiple facts & figures of the whole project. The embracing risk principle
ensures that whether the project is being managed & controlled, effectively or not at the different
levels of the process. Being transparent is the principle of portfolio management that embeds
the overall organizational culture within the business organization (Kim, et.al. 2014).
Various methods & concepts also provide a great level of support to the developed arguments of
the system engineering approach. All the different arguments are being developed or classified
through the various ways of conducting surveys, tests, computations & practical experiences. All
these theories, when linked & used together the project managers can develop a positive impact,
suitably & appropriately. Hence, the proper solving of the complex problems is completely
dependent upon the inter-relation of various theories. With the help of developing &
implementing suitable strategies, multiple aspects can be understood properly, tested & adapted
for implementing the essential changes properly (Kim, et.al. 2014). Therefore, the principles of
portfolio management should be used effectively for governing the increased level of consistency
at different levels of the project. Rational & logical arguments are also being developed in the
context of enhancing the process of decision-making to ensure & enhance the configuration.
Hence, it can be concluded that various evidence was being presented effectively with the help of
proper identification & implementation of the unique tools & techniques for resolving the
complex problems, suitably & appropriately. With the help of rational approaches & techniques
of system thinking or the portfolio management, various necessary steps can be followed up &

taken into consideration to greatly achieve the defined aims & objectives of the project in the
effective, suitable as well as the efficient manner. Therefore, it can be surely said that the
effective tools & techniques of system thinking can provide great aid to all the project managers
in solving the complex problems faced by them while running the project.

References
 Swanson, R., Cattaneo, A., Bradley, E., Chunharas, S., Atun, R., Abbas, K., . . . Best, A.
(2012). Rethinking health systems strengthening: key systems thinking tools and
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https://academic-oup-com.ezproxy.cqu.edu.au/heapol/article/27/suppl_4/iv54/621407
 Sturmberg, J., Martin, C., & Katerndahl, D. (2014). Systems and complexity thinking in
the general practice literature: An integrative, historical narrative review. Annals of
Family Medicine, 12(1), 66-74. DOI: 10.1370/afm.1593
 Cabrera, Derek, Cabrera, Laura, & Powers, Erin. (2015). A Unifying Theory of Systems
Thinking with Psychosocial Applications. Systems Research and Behavioral
Science, 32(5), 534-545. DOI: 10.1002/sres.2351
 Nuri Cihat Onat, Murat Kucukvar, Anthony Halog, & Scott Cloutier. (2017). Systems
Thinking for Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: A Review of Recent Developments,
Applications, and Future Perspectives. Sustainability, 9(5), 706.
DOI: 10.3390/su9050706
 Li, Y., Zhu, Z., & Gerard, C. (2012). Learning from Conflict Resolution: An Opportunity
to Systems Thinking. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 29(2), 209-220.
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 Kim, Y., Akbar, H., Tzokas, N., & Al-Dajani, H. (2014). Systems thinking and
absorptive capacity in high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises from South
Korea. International Small Business Journal, 32(8), 876-896.
DOI: 10.1177/0266242613483632