![What is Thinking?
Problem: What is This?
But what is thinking?
When you start the process of solving the problem … you
start the thinking process
A mind activity
To make sense of what you are aware of [here the picture:
physical perception]!
Using your [knowledge, memory, experience,…](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/systemsthinkingv1-191121141347/85/Applying-Systems-Thinking-to-Solve-Wicked-Problems-in-Software-Engineering-8-320.jpg)
![Why Software Engineering is a wickedproblem?
Proof by contradiction
SE is not a wicked problem
We start by well defined problem statement
We don’t have to use incremental solutions to the
problem [ Spiral, XP, Scrum, lean, …]
We know that we are building what the customer
needs
We can use previous solutions
Change is affordable](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/systemsthinkingv1-191121141347/85/Applying-Systems-Thinking-to-Solve-Wicked-Problems-in-Software-Engineering-12-320.jpg)
![How To Develop Systems Thinking Mindset?
Start with Synthesis
Draw a boundary – identify the containing whole
Study the behavior and properties of the whole – emergent
properties, homeostasis or steady state
Study the behavior and properties of the parts in terms of
their contribution to the behavior of the whole [ use loops,
flows and stocks]- interrelationships
Identify the Whole? How can I master the zoom-out skill?
Synthesis reveals understanding—why?
Analysis reveals structure— how?](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/systemsthinkingv1-191121141347/85/Applying-Systems-Thinking-to-Solve-Wicked-Problems-in-Software-Engineering-26-320.jpg)
Applying Systems Thinking to Solve Wicked Problems in Software Engineering
- 1. Applying Systems Thinking to Solve Wicked Problems in Software Engineering The scientific study of “wholes” Majed Ayyad, PhD Birzeit University 11/21/2019
- 2. Outline 2 1 2 3 4 What is a problem: Complex wicked Problems What is Thinking What is Systems Thinking Where it is applied in Software Engineering Replaced by
- 3. Not Yet Another Thinking
- 4. What is a Problem? Which of the followings is a problem The multiplication of 2 by 2 Translating the word “problem” into Arabic Problem solving is “What you do, when you don’t know what to do” (Wheatley, 1984) A rule of thumb: Problems exist when learned behaviors are not sufficient to solve the problem. I learned Arithmetic , I know both languages I am 2 years old, I don’t know Arabic
- 5. How Do You Solve this Problem? Problem: Given a candidate CV, which of the following decisions you will select: Analyze Challenge assumptions Seek others opinion Validate claimed knowledge Critical Thinking Use Pros and Cons
- 6. How Do You Solve this Problem? Problem: … (Yes, three dots) Yes, But for a specific context? Ah … we need to find the problem? Gather Information Verify and Validate gathered information Do we need Secondary Information? Problem Framing Design ThinkingSelect a strategy Build a solution Prototype Evaluate Results Productize .. ..
- 7. How Do You Solve this Problem? Overtime /Velocity Problem: Increase the development velocity by 20% Linear Thinking Increases Explain a phenomenon by using a single relationship: cause and effect. reductionist theory Mechanistic Thinking
- 8. What is Thinking? Problem: What is This? But what is thinking? When you start the process of solving the problem … you start the thinking process A mind activity To make sense of what you are aware of [here the picture: physical perception]! Using your [knowledge, memory, experience,…
- 9. Given the following characteristics, Name one problem that matches all ………………….! We don’t understand the problem until we find the solution You can create incremental solutions to the problem, but there’s nothing that tells you that you’ve found the correct and final solution. Solutions are not right or wrong: Every problem is essentially novel and unique Every solution is a one-shot operation Answer: Software Engineering
- 10. Which Problem is Solved by Software Engineering? A fundamental problem of software engineering is the problem of development of systems… Creating value to customer The actual product of software engineering is ……………..
- 11. Software Engineering: A wicked Problem? The real problem in software engineering is to find the Value? Software Engineering is a wicked problem by itself. It is used to solve another wicked problem which is finding the customer value.
- 12. Why Software Engineering is a wickedproblem? Proof by contradiction SE is not a wicked problem We start by well defined problem statement We don’t have to use incremental solutions to the problem [ Spiral, XP, Scrum, lean, …] We know that we are building what the customer needs We can use previous solutions Change is affordable
- 13. How do We Solve Wicked Problems! ThinkingSystems
- 14. What is Systems Thinking? Zoom out Holistic Thinking Synthetic thinking Dynamic thinking Systems thinking was developed by Jay Forrester and others at MIT. “Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static ‘snapshots”
- 15. A Systems Example A System This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC A Part A Structure A Function A Process Thoughts {time} {space} {Emergent} {Input/Output} {The whole is different than the sum} {function/Role} A Whole {contains}
- 16. Kanban Board as a System ! Control Stock Stock Stock Flow Flow Development rate inflow outflow
- 17. Characteristics of Systems Thinking • Optimize the Whole – avoid sub-optimization and look for the properties of the whole not the properties of each part. Learn and practice the zoom out skill
- 18. What is This?
- 19. What is This?
- 20. ? Zoom out Too vague Some characteristics Big Picture source The truth : A medal A Sea Turtle Medal
- 21. Solving the Previous Buzzle! Problem: What is This? Again it is sea turtle!
- 22. Zoom out the Kanban Board! Stock Stock Stock Flow Flow Development rate inflow outflow
- 23. Characteristics of Systems Thinking • Optimize the Whole – avoid sub-optimization look for the properties of the whole not the properties of each part. • Look for Relationships: Interaction is more important to understand how components work together.
- 24. Systems Dynamics: Balancing and Enforcing Loops Overtime /Velocity Fatigue Stress + - - Efficiency + + + time Stress management - + + Features Delivered/ Throughput QualityProblem: Increase the development velocity by 20% Bugs rate of requirements change Team skills Budget constraints Schedule constraints
- 25. Characteristics of Systems Thinking • Optimize the Whole – avoid sub-optimization look for the properties of the whole not the properties of each part. • Look for Relationships: Interaction is more important to understand how components work together. • Consider Flows and Processes before Structures.
- 26. How To Develop Systems Thinking Mindset? Start with Synthesis Draw a boundary – identify the containing whole Study the behavior and properties of the whole – emergent properties, homeostasis or steady state Study the behavior and properties of the parts in terms of their contribution to the behavior of the whole [ use loops, flows and stocks]- interrelationships Identify the Whole? How can I master the zoom-out skill? Synthesis reveals understanding—why? Analysis reveals structure— how?
- 27. Example on Synthetic How many developers start the design exercise from scratch? • … few • … why • We analyze and analyze then we compile the design after we put a lot of code! Reverse Engineering is not synthetic! Application as Stock APIs as flows
- 28. Applications of Systems Thinking in SE . Operations Development Architecture PlaceholderPlanning SE-Education
- 29. Scaled Agile and Systems Thinking! Aspects of systems thinking in © Scaled Agile, Inc.
- 30. Microservices Challenges • Decentralized Governance and Data Management • Creating Synergies and Orchestrations • Heterogeneity and Homeostasis • Network Structure (Image: Bruce Wong, Netflix)
- 31. DevOps Feedbacks Flows work, experiments and learning The 175 Principles of Flow ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES QUEUEING PRINCIPLES FLOW CONTROL PRINCIPLES FAST FEEDBACK PRINCIPLES
- 32. We have developed and evolved an MS-level software engineering curriculum that enables Computer Science (CS) majors to become considerably more T-shaped than when they entered. It includes courses in software management and economics, human-computer interaction, embedded software systems, systems and software requirements, architecture, and Verification and Validation (V&V), and a two-semester, real-client team project course that gives students experience in applying these skills.
- 33. Between 𝑡0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡0 + 1 The Domino effect Image source Faulty Requirements Faulty design Faulty functionality Faulty logic The bug path
- 34. Final Remark • Systems are connected through a complex network! • Software Engineering a Socio-Technical System • Theory of systems is our way to achieve Integration in the various sciences, natural and social as inspired by von Bertalanffy (Image: Josh Evans, Netflix)
- 35. Not Anymore R&D • Research and design are not two different things! • …. Design is also a research methodology
- 36. THANK YOU.
- 37. Summary • Software systems are essentially socio-technical systems • and they are not isolated from other systems engineering processes. Unconsciously or by intention, we implement systems thinking in multi- agent systems, microservices, DevOps, distributed systems, API-led integrations and lean based software development life cycles. However, the concrete relationship between systems thinking and software engineering is still a green area and barely highlighted as a common practice among software engineers. In this presentation, we will • elaborate how systems thinking helps us to understand the socio-technical aspects of software engineering. We will discuss why systems thinking is important in the field of software engineering, provide examples where it is currently used and show the general areas where systems thinking applies to tackle complex software problems