In the professional settings in which we work, and particularly in high-risk environments like health care, nuclear engineering and aviation, it is not enough to address problems on their own or work through them one at a time without an eye toward improvement. Instead, it is necessary to solve difficulties within a larger context, and that’s where systems thinking comes in. Popularized by Peter Senge of MIT, systems thinking is a way to view organizations by taking a broad perspective that intersects structures, patterns, and events. Information professionals can learn how to avoid unintended consequences and leverage expertise by developing systems thinking capacities. Session participants will apply diagnostic techniques like the 5 Whys and archetype identification as avenues for navigating systemic influences within the librarian’s sphere to ensure effective services.
Presentation Handouts:
https://www.sla.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SystemsThinkinginLibraries_Tompson.pdf
