Managing IT with systems thinking

Technological systems do not exist in a vacuum, but are an integral part of an organizational setting. With information systems now permeating almost every aspect of our environment, systems thinking has never been more relevant to engineers and managers. Information systems essentially store, process, and distribute organizational information. As the capacity to accomplish these tasks has grown by leaps and bounds, organizations have become increasingly coupled. The information systems that developers are designing and implementing today are not only more complex, they also generate more complex interactions within organizational units. Unfortunately, many engineers only come to understand the need for a holistic approach to managing information technology through experience.