What is a system? Start with a ball of yarn

Imagine a group of people standing in a circle. One of them is holding a ball of yarn. They toss the ball of yarn to someone across the circle, while holding their end tight. The person on the receiving end does the same, holding onto their part of the yarn and then tossing it to someone else.

As the ball of yarn continues to be tossed from person to person, a web emerges. The web represents a system: the elements are each of the people in the circle, the interconnections are the simple rules that were guiding people’s behaviour (hold and toss). If one person pulls on the web, others feel the tug, the tension, or the release. What happens in one part of a system affects the others.

As we begin to understand systems, we become more likely to consider the broader implications of our actions, which can help reduce unintended consequences.