ABSTRACT
The vast majority of projects fail when judged by their ability to deliver their specified objectives on time and to cost, especially when there are significant organisational change, software or information technology components. Systems thinking not only supports the definition of projects but also their effective execution, by exploring both the complexity of the problem and how the proposed solution will be implemented. Systems thinking provides a framework to address complex, uncertain and interconnected problems which do not have simple solutions. Systems thinking helps by encouraging a broad range of stakeholders to participate, such as through the development of rich pictures. The performance of the system over time should also be examined, using techniques such as causal loop diagrams to highlight important variables and stock and flow diagrams to model how key variables may change over time. Systems must operate in situations of uncertainty and ambiguity.
