System Dynamics

System dynamics focus on how work, structures, dependencies, delays, feedback loops, and incentives interact to affect outcomes over time. Many organizational problems are not caused by individual people, but by the way the system itself operates. Small changes in workload, coordination, policies, or flow can create large downstream effects that are often difficult to see without a systemic perspective. By understanding system dynamics, organizations can identify the underlying causes of bottlenecks, rework, delays, and instability rather than repeatedly reacting to symptoms.

Even well-designed systems fail when perceptual and learning dynamics are ignored. Structures shape behavior, but perception and learning shape how people respond to those structures.

Amplio is based on the phyics of flow.

 

Mini Lessons

  • Delays

  • Complexity

  • Pdsa vs I a

  • The Penta. Go beyond the iron triangle.

Amplio Is Based on a Solid Foundation

Amplio is a based on a foundation partially based on the theories of Flow, Lean, and the Theory of Constraints.

See a one hour seminar on the physics of flow here.

See Amplio Foundations for a detailed look at Amplio’s foundations.

Amplio takes a different perspective from most agile frameworks regarding complexity. Complexity in knowledge work merely means that there are some relationships that we don’t know about yet. Inherent simplicity (from ToC) tells us that there are very use causes and effects underlying the system. We just can’t see them all. If we take advantage of what we know from Flow, Lean, Theory of Constraints, and Theory of Profound Knowledge (in Lean) then we can move forward and discover these.

By using the above to get quick feedback, we can also protect ourselves when the complex relationships strike us.

The Behavior You Get When You Don’t Attend to the Physics of Flow

“A comfort zone is less about control and more about understanding.” Eliyahu Goldratt. 

This means without the understanding the physics of flow gives you people will stay in their comfort zones and keep to old habits.

Management won’t understand why it’s important to not overload their teams.

The physics of flow can be readily understood, but it’s not something that’s obvious at first glance. Knowing it, and how to explain it to others is paramount.

You will almost certainly overload your teams.

Without understanding the physics of flow many managers will believe the way to get more productivity is to have people work harder. This will actually have th opposite effect because it will overload teams and cause waste and rework.

Learning will be slow. 

Using just empiricism will lead to learning. But it’s much slower without understanding.

Following to understand is slower than getting a little undertsanding by someone pointing out your past experience with the physics of flow.

 “Experience teaches nothing. In fact, there is no experience to record without theory… Without theory there is no learning… And that is their downfall. People copy examples and then wonder what is the trouble. They look at examples and without theory they learn nothing.” Edwards Deming

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Einstein

“He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may be cast.” Leonardo da Vinci

Learned helplessness will increse and people will be demoralized.

Having trouble is one thing. Not understanding what’s causing it can create a sense of helplessness. This is demoralizing.