consolidated portfolios

Reading samples

Learning outcomes of the unit

Supporting documentation including any prior learning

Identify different systems thinking tools and techniques to aid project managers solve project problems.

Different kinds of tools of system thinking that helps the project manager in solving project problems are affinity diagram, graphical analyzation, decision matrix, effective analysis, functional analysis, influence diagram and intangible model.

Affinity diagram (AD): The affinity diagram is referred as the simple systems thinking tool which can enable the project team in performing different tasks such as developing innovative ideas for solving the problem and organizing these ideas into the meaningful assemblies.

Graphical analyzation: The graphical analyzation is all about identifying and understanding the data of the system through the graphical representation. Generally, the graphical representation is done in two ways, frequency plot and time series plot.

Decision matrix: The Decision Matrix is used in the cases where we can reduce the number of options to two or three if there are larger number of candidate options.

Effective analysis: The effective analysis is referred as a tool which is involved in enabling the project team to prioritize the effects and causes of the project failure. The effective analysis is considered as the family of failure methods.

Functional analysis: The functional analysis is referred as the highly structured approach for selecting and developing the design concepts of the project. The major objective of the functional analysis is to achieve the functions of the project.

Influence diagram (ID): The influence diagram is the systems thinking tool which is involved in identifying and developing the significant relationships among the different components of the system.

Intangible model: The Intangible model is the system thinking tool which is involved in enabling the project team members to develop a behavioural model or operational model for the system.

The system thinking tools will be helpful in the development of the critical data and information of the organization. The system thinking tools will also be helpful in exploring the queries related to the unified systems methodologies.

A. Hodgson, E. M. Hubbard, and C. E. Siemieniuch, 2013