Systems Thinking Handbook for Humanitarians

Have you ever tried to open a door by pushing it, only to find that door opens towards you? Imagine instead that as you approach the door, you see which side the hinges are on and which direction the door opens. This is systems thinking; ‘once you know, a small push (or pull) in the right direction is enough’ (O’Connor and McDermott, 1997: xv).

This handbook introduces the ‘how’ of systems thinking for humanitarians – specifically the particular skills that systems thinkers need to practice and seven basic tools for systems thinking. You can also find a helpful glossary of terms at the end. If you’re new to systems thinking, you may like to take a look at the accompanying ALNAP paper, Systems thinking for humanitarians: An introduction for the complete beginner, which provides further background on what systems thinking is and why it is relevant to and useful for the sorts of complex problems that humanitarians face.