Sustainability Education at UW–Madison : Systems Thinking

Defining Systems Thinking

There are many definitions of Systems Thinking. Below is one definition by systems scientist Barry Richmond, who is credited with coining the term. This guide contains many other resources for you to develop your own understanding of Systems Thinking.

"The definition of systems thinking at which I have arrived is the following: systems thinking is the art and science of making reliable inferences about behavior by developing an increasingly deep understanding of underlying structure... Systems Thinking is a Paradigm and a Learning Method. The first conditions the second. The second supports the first. The two parts form a synergistic whole."

Richmond, B. (1994). Systems thinking/system dynamics: Let's just get on with it. System Dynamics Review, 10(2‐3), 135-157. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.4260100204 

Books on Systems Thinking

Access the following books from the links in the descriptions. When taken to the Library Catalog, use options to "View Online" or "Request a Copy" 

Systems Thinking Journals 

Access the following journals through the Library Catalog. After clicking "View Online" select a database to browse issues or to search for articles by topic, author, or title.