Systems Thinking is a profoundly different way of seeing the world that is diametrically opposed to command and control, reductionist approaches to management.
The Vanguard method is a systems thinking approach that is continually developing, having evolved from over 20 years experience of interventions in the private sector and 10 years experience of public sector service organisations.
Organisations and people who become interested in systems thinking have discovered it to be a powerful method for radically transforming the way that they work. Many have found this journey to be the most stimulating experience of their careers.
Systems thinking can often seem controversial and uncomfortable as it challenges many of the core paradigms of management. This is because once a new way of seeing things that works has been learnt, it is impossible to accept management mythologies that have never delivered.
The Vanguard systems thinking method is a powerful way for you to reach profound knowledge about your system, allowing you to achieve results that outstrip anything that would be set for you as a target by government.
The Vanguard System Thinking Method
The Vanguard Method is a form of systems thinking that acknowledges the work of precursors such as Ohno, Deming and Ackoff. Whilst all systems thinkers agree that a system is a sum of its parts and the parts must be rearranged as one, the Vanguard approach is unique in that it starts and ends with the work. More importantly, it is a method that applies systems principles to a broad range of organisations, each yielding unimagined benefits to both people (customers and staff) and results in the form of improved performance.
Check-Plan-Do
There are three steps in performance improvement. If you know the ‘what and why’ of current performance, you will have confidence in planning and executing change, which is why we start at Check. This three-step cycle (understand the current organisation as a system, identify levers for change and take direct action on the system) can be thought of as Check – Plan – Do.
Check
- Purpose: What is the purpose of this system?
- Demand: What is the nature of customer demand?
- Capability: What is it predictably achieving?
- Flow: How does the work work?
- System Conditions: Why does the system behave this way?
Plan
- What needs changing to improve performance?
- What action could be taken and what would we predict would be the consequences?
- Against what measures should action be taken (to ensure we learn)?
Do
- Take the planned action and monitor the consequences versus purpose.
And then go back to Check
