Systems Thinking: The Cards

Thinking in Systems cards are designed to encourage a robust, practical, and repeatable approach to systems thinking. The game challenges players to explore and explain how they would apply systems thinking (principles, definitions, tools, and other concepts) to tackle a systems thinking challenge.

Thinking in Systems is designed for one to four players. Play time is approximately 15 minutes to a half hour or more, depending on the complexity of the problem and the depth of analysis.

Objective

The objective of this collaborative game is to use the cards to design and present a well-grounded approach to apply systems thinking to a difficult challenge. At the end of play, users should be able to:

• define the system and the applicability of systems thinking;
• identify and apply the tools that could be used to better understand the system and why;
• note any system archetypes at play;
• indicate how to put into action the understanding of the system
• describe the principles of systems thinking that underpin their approach.

Components

There are 36 cards in a single deck. Use one deck for play. There are four suits: Define, Develop, Implement, and Principles.

There are seven “must play” cards in the deck. These are denoted with a gold star in each corner.

There are 8 system archetype cards in the deck. These are denoted with double “A” around the icon at the top of the card.

Setup

The cards can be used by one-to-four players. Use one deck of card per systems thinking challenge.

Set up the table for play by clearing a space large enough to arrange the cards and ensure all players can see the cards.

Separate the card deck into the four suits. Each suit is numbered and labeled at the bottom of the card and color coded for ease of sorting.

Set each suit face up on the table. There should be four piles of cards on the table. There is no need to shuffle the deck.

It is not necessary to use all the cards in order to prototype a successful systems thinking approach.

Evenly distribute the stacks among all players. One player gets the Define suit; one player gets the Develop suit, and so on. If there are fewer than four players, strive to equitably distribute the suits.

At the end of play, use the template provided document your approach by noting your team’s thinking about your design.

Starting the Game

Start the game by selecting or being assigned a candidate systems challenge to address using the written materials provided. All players should read all the materials.

The player with the Define cards should begin play by turning over all the Define cards. All players work together to play the cards in the suit by discussing the action steps and deciding whether to incorporate them into the prototype. Remember to play all "must play" cards in each suit.

The player with the Principles suit should monitor play and make suggestions about any principles that should be applied throughout the prototype design process by placing the card on the table nearest to the card or cards to which the principle best corresponds.

After the first suit of cards is exhausted, set aside any unused cards. The next player commences play with the Develop suit by placing the cards on the table face up. All players work together to play the cards in the suit by discussing the action steps and deciding whether to incorporate them into the prototype. Again, set aside any unused cards.

The player with the Principles cards should continue to monitor play, suggesting principles and placing them on the table nearest to the card or cards to which the principle best corresponds. If the same principle applies in multiple places, make a new card using a Post It note.

For those Develop cards selected, sketch out a basic application of the tool or principle to the prototype approach. At this point, simply focus on the highest level of abstraction—keep it under 5 minutes!

The final player commences play with the Implement suit by placing the cards face up. All players work together to play the cards in the suit by discussing the action steps and deciding whether to incorporate them into the prototype. Again. set aside any unused cards.

When all the suits have been played, revisit the prototype approach by talking through the systems thinking approach and filling in the blanks on the template provided. Double check the process, the assumptions, the discards, and the template responses to ensure completeness.

Concluding Play

A successful hand will incorporate all the “must use” cards and will document the prototype systems thinking approach on the template provided. Have fun! Measure success by how well the prototype uses the concepts learned in the course.

Additional Instructions

Slow Play

If the team is working too slowly, try to speed up play by triaging the suit and setting aside the cards that the group suspects will be less applicable to the current challenge. Then, focus effort on the remaining cards. The group can always double check their work and include any of the discarded cards at the end of a round or the end of play.

Dissention

"We can’t come to agreement on which cards to play! What do we do?" Try to diagnose why the disagreement exists. Trace the thinking backwards through the cards. Is there a fundamental disagreement about the system definition, or a previous tool? Is it about the order in which the cards are played? Is it just because someone is hangry?

What is the prototype, really?

The prototype is just the written template description and the arrangement of cards that you would play to apply a robust systems thinking approach. Together, they drive discussion about the systems challenge and what it would take to tackle it.

Advanced Rules

If you like the basic game, you can spice up the game by going further:
Rinse and repeat! What would happen to the system if you implemented the prototype approach solution?

If you have time, or are using this in practice, work through an application of the tools and principles.

Example of Play

Fred: Turns the Define suit face up and reads the cards.

Wilma/Barney/Betty: Listen and or read the cards, discussing the action steps and deciding which ones should be played.

Betty: Has the Principles suit and confers with Wilma, Fred, and Barney about which principles might apply.

Fred: Ensures that all the “must play” cards have been played. When the group is satisfied with the prototype for the Define suit, Fred sets aside the discards and the player with the Develop suit commences the next round of play.