W. Edwards Deming’s teachings are most widely known in industry and government. However, his teachings and principles apply to educational institutions, which of course, is the very point of Win-Win. He taught the Japanese, and later American companies that would listen, to adopt a systems thinking perspective.

System Structure II

As you begin to view the world through a systems lens, the idea of improving the core system of which you are a part becomes more challenging. However, seeing the world in this way also opens a number of possibilities for improvement for which you may have been previously unaware. At the very least, this helps in understanding the various system levels in which your organization is situated.

System Structure I

United Schools, where I work, is a system made up of four public charter schools and a nonprofit hub that serves as the central office for the schools. It is also a subsystem of the system of education in Columbus, in Ohio, and in the United States. This illustrates the point that a system contains subsystems and is itself a subsystem of a system in which it is contained.

Thinking in Systems II

There may be no better example of non-systems thinking in education than when the issue of poverty is discussed. In one camp, you have people who insist that in order to fix underperforming schools, you must fix poverty. In the other camp, you have the people who insist that to fix poverty, you have to fix underperforming schools.

So, which camp has it right?

Thinking in Systems I

A system is a set of elements interconnected in such a way that it produces its own pattern of behavior over time. Systems are coherently organized in a way that achieves something. The system may be impacted by outside forces, but its response to these forces is characteristic of the system itself, and that response is seldom simple. Systems thinking then is a way of thinking that focuses on recognizing the interconnections between the parts of a system and synthesizing them into a unified view of the whole.

Our System Aim

At United Schools Network, we recently added a system aim as a complement to our vision and mission statements. Taken together, USN’s vision, mission, and aim statements help align the work of everyone in the network.

Learning to ImproveJohn DuesFebruary 28, 2024Continual Improvement, Deming, systems thinking, system aim, vision, mission

Systems Must Have an Aim

Most typically, when I refer to a system in Win-Win I am referring to an organization (e.g., United Schools Network). Thus, a useful definition of a system is “an organization characterized by a set of interactions among the people who work there, the tools and materials they have at their disposal, and the processes through which these people and resources join together to accomplish its work.” The aim of a system is a qualitative statement with methods attached that detail its long-term constancy of purpose.

Understanding Systems

Understanding systems may be our best hope for making meaningful change across the many dimensions of our lives at home, at school, and at work. The system lens helps us see events as a part of trends and those trends as a part of an underlying structure. This understanding provides us with improved ways of managing in this world of complex education systems.

Principle 9: Break Down Barriers

Break down barriers between departments and grade levels and develop strategies for increasing cooperation among groups and individuals. Administrators, business & financial managers, operations staff, support staff, students, and teachers, etc. must work as a team to foresee problems in the production and use of high-quality learning experiences.

Principle 8: Drive Out Fear

Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the school system. No one can perform their best unless they feel secure to express ideas, ask questions, and make mistakes.

Principle 7: Adopt & Institute Leadership

Adopt and institute leadership aimed at helping people to do a better job. Management's responsibility must shift from focusing solely on outcomes to focusing on the quality of learning experiences and services produced by the educational system.

Principle 1: Create Constancy of Purpose

In January and February, I outlined six common management myths. The point of those two posts was to help education systems leaders see what not to do. I’m now turning to a set of principles that can be used by these same leaders to guide their transformation work. Earlier this month, I introduced the 14 Principles for Educational Systems Transformation. In this post I’ll describe the first principle, Create Constancy of Purpose.