Birgit Kopainsky
#SystemDynamics enthusiast passionate about how #FoodCanFixIt professor @UiB working on #SciencePolicyInterface
How did you first encounter systems thinking, and what made it "click" for you?
I gradually became aware of systems thinking in the early stages of my PhD when I spectacularly failed at performing well in other analytical approaches. Discovering systems thinking felt like coming home – because it reflected the way I look at the world and make sense of conflicting pieces of information and conflicting interests among stakeholders.
What is a misconception about systems thinking that you wish more people understood?
Systems thinking is not about demonstrating that everything is connected to everything. Systems thinking is an approach that forces you to not just understand the immediate drivers of a problem but the goals and paradigms that people (often unconsciously) hold and that lead to the many recurring and stubborn societal challenges that we are faced with.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone new to systems thinking, what would it be?
Systems thinking can look simple at the outset. And it is, to some extent. But it takes a lot of practice. So get started, practice drawing stock and flow diagrams and causal loop diagrams when reading or hearing about an interesting phenomenon, when pondering an important decision or some chaos in your head, when discussing with your friends etc. Just go for the loops, not for the detail. Practice makes perfect. There is not a lot of theory that you need to master first.
Can you share a moment when systems thinking changed how you approached a real-world problem?
Oh, this is a difficult question! I have been working with systems thinking and modeling for more than 20 years now. It’s hard to say what has NOT been influenced by systems thinking.
What is one book, tool, or resource that significantly shaped your journey in systems?
I have been and continue to be inspired by Donella Meadows’ thinking and writing. I can
only recommend her curated legacy at http://donellameadows.org/donella-meadows-
legacy/ to literally everyone.
