Part 1: What are Systems?
Strand 2: Conceptualising a Whole Systems Approach
Video
Learning Objectives
After watching this section, you should be able to:
- Define what a system is and describe its key characteristics
- Explain why complex public health problems require a systems approach
- Identify the limitations of traditional, siloed responses to complex challenges
Key Points
- A system is a set of interconnected elements whose interactions produce outcomes that cannot be understood by examining parts in isolation
- Current responses to complex problems (obesity, climate change, homelessness) are often siloed and have limited impact
- Complex problems have no single root cause, no single owner, and their nature is constantly evolving
- Delivering services alone is not enough — meaningful change requires shifting practices, policies, attitudes, and infrastructure
Further Reading
- Whole systems approach to obesity: a guide to support local approaches (Public Health England / Leeds Beckett, 2019) — the PHE guide that translates systems concepts into a practical framework for local authorities; useful background for understanding how theory is applied in practice
- The Frameworks Institute — an organisation specialising in strategic communications about complex social issues; their research on framing helps explain why the way we talk about systems problems (like obesity) shapes how people understand and respond to them
Knowledge Check
Complete the questions below before moving on.
Which of the following best describes a characteristic of the complex problems that a systems approach is designed to address?
The correct answer is They have no single root cause, no single owner, and are constantly evolving. The video explains that complex problems — such as obesity, climate change, and homelessness — share the characteristic that there is no single root cause, no single actor who owns them, and their nature is constantly evolving. These features are precisely why traditional approaches fall short and a systems approach is needed.
- False — complex systems are dynamic and constantly evolving, not stable or predictable.
- False — linear cause-and-effect thinking is what systems approaches move away from.
- False — systems approaches exist because these problems cannot be solved by any one expert alone.
- True