System Thinking
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Description: The application of the fundamental concepts of systems thinking to Systems Engineering. These concepts include understanding what a system is, its context within its environment, its boundaries and interfaces, and that it has a lifecycle. System thinking applies to the definition, development and production of systems within an enterprise and technological environment and is a framework for curiosity about any system of interest. Why it matters: Systems thinking is a way of dealing with increasing complexity. The fundamental concepts of systems thinking involve understanding how actions and decisions in one area affect another, and that the optimization of a system within its environment does not necessarily come from optimizing the individual system components. Systems Thinking is conducted within an enterprise and technological context. These contexts impact the lifecycle of the system and place requirements and constraints on the systems thinking being conducted. Failing to meet such constraints can have a serious effect on the enterprise and the value of the system. POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTORY TYPES OF EVIDENCE Any combination of the types of evidence may be acceptable (depending on how the Framework is tailored and used). The Evidence items identified at each level indicate example Work products only. Contributions to Work Products will generally differ at each proficiency level. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT The INCOSE Professional Development Portal provides example guidance on how to gain an initial awareness of a competency area and options for developing further competence thereafter.