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PODCAST

Systems Thinking and Beyond

Dr Joseph Kasser

The AI team take a deep dive into successful innovative tools, practical and conceptual applications of systems thinking and beyond and systems engineering to various types of problems, summarizing the concepts behind the successes and usually drawing general conclusions for how the concepts may be used in other situations. The opinions expressed by the AI team in each deep dive are their own and have not been edited in any way. While systems thinking provides an understanding of the problematic

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All Episodes

12:53

Fuzzy Thinking: When Systems Fail

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2026/02/08

In this analytical deep dive, the AI team explores the multifaceted work of Professor Ahmad Hijazi, Dean of the Business School at PU and head of a dedicated innovation incubator. Hijazi’s research challenges the traditional boundaries of management by examining the “architecture of creative judgment” at the “edge of knowledge”. The AI team investigate his premise that while systems thinking is a vital tool, it can become misleading if applied too rigidly to complex, real-world problems.The AI

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13:53

Fishing for DX: Tools, Techniques, and Lessons Learned

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2026/02/01

The AI team takes a deep dive into a presentation by Joseph Kasser (G3ZCZ and VK5WU) which explores the evolving techniques and technologies used to achieve long-distance amateur radio contacts, or DXing, over several decades. The author draws a creative parallel between fishing and radio communication, noting that both require specialized tools, an understanding of the environment, and significant patience. By chronicling personal experiences across various global locations, the slides highlight

en-US

11:25

Extending the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) over...

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2026/01/12

The AI team takes a deep dive into a technical paper which critiques the traditionalTechnology Readiness Level (TRL)metric for its inability to predict future progress or address the later stages of a system's life. By applyingholistic thinking perspectives, the author argues for a shift from measuring static maturity to evaluating long-termtechnology availability. This approach introduces thedynamic TRL (dTRL), which utilizes historical data to forecast when a technology will actually be ready for

en-US

14:47

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/12/26

The AI team takes a deep dive into Dennis Sherwood's 2007 book Seeing the Forest for the Trees, a manager's guide to applying systems thinking, which provides managers with a structured framework to navigate and master the inherent complexity of organizational life. By utilizing causal loop diagrams, leaders can visualize the interconnected nature of business problems, moving beyond the linear, isolated perspectives often found in traditional spreadsheets. The text distinguishes between reinforcing

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15:35

PRINCE2 for Dummies: a book review

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/12/21

The AI team taxes a deep dive in the book 'PRINCE2 for Dummies'. Despite its title, the book is a comprehensive guidebook serving as a practical manual for individuals entering the field of project management. It provides a structured framework for the entire project life cycle, from drafting a business case and project charter to final closure and retrospection. Key instructional areas include building a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), managing resource allocation, and navigating

en-US

13:50

Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2®

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/12/16

The AI team takes a deep dive into the PeopleCert book Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 (2023)which serves as a comprehensive guide to the project management methodology. The content covers theseven PRINCE2 principles, such as "ensure continued business justification" and "focus on products," and introduces theseven practices: Business Case, Organizing, Plans, Quality, Risk, Issues, and Progress, which describe essential project management aspects. Furthermore, the source details theproject

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13:44

Whistleblowing in INCOSE

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/12/03

The AI team takes a hilarious deep dive into theofficial correspondence and internal memorandarelated to a grievance filed by Joe Kasser against several officers of INCOSE, the International Council on Systems Engineering. The initial letters from December 2014 inform Kasser that an informal committee decided toban him from presenting at the next two symposia (IS 2015-2016)and reject his submitted papers due to past "non-conciliatory" behavior during panel discussions in 2012 and 2014. Kasser's

en-US

14:21

Managerialism and Process Failure in the Old...

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/11/24

The AI team takes a deep dive into an unpublished manuscript, written by an anonymous engineer, which presents a critical analysis of the "Formal Systems Engineering Process" (FSEP) prevalent in the older, large-scale aerospace and defense contracting industries. The author argues that FSEP, combined with an ideology called "Managerialism," fosters an inefficient, top-down bureaucratic culture that stifles innovation and leads to high costs and reduced reliability. This system, characterized by

en-US

15:07

AI: anecdotes, experiences, and hallucinations

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/09/29

The AI team take a deep dive into a talk that shares experiences using AI as a smart search engine, how it can provide new insights when using AI as a search engine, and assist with writing textbooks, conference and journal papers, in the classroom, in systems engineering tools, creating images and graphics, creating and debugging software, marketing, self-reflection, creating podcasts and presentations. The talk also covers some ethics and the potential for scams. The talk discusses the dialog and

en-US

15:37

Systemic and Systematic Project Management

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/09/09

The AI takes a deep dive into the book "Systemic and Systematic Project Management" by J. Kasser (2019), exploring project management as a problem-solving paradigm that emphasizes the need for both systemic thinking, which considers the whole system, and systematic thinking, which involves a methodical, step-by-step approach. The book details various aspects of project lifecycle management, including planning methodologies like the "build a little test a little" method, cost and schedule estimation,

en-US

17:41

Systems Engineering: A Paradigm Shift Analysis

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/07/31

The AI team takes a deep dive into researchthat began with the question, “Why do systems engineering textbooks cover such different material while claiming to represent the same discipline?”. The research investigates the evolution of systems engineeringover seven decades, hypothesizing aparadigm shiftrather than mere topical variation in literature. UtilizingAI-assisted analysis of textbooksfrom 1950 to 2023, the study identifies three evolutionary phases: an initialengineering science dominance,

en-US

22:25

Applying Total Quality Management to systems engineering

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/07/03

The AI team take a deep dive into a 30-year old book, "Applying Total Quality Management to Systems Engineering," explores various facets ofsystems engineeringwithin aTotal Quality Management (TQM)framework. It details theSystems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), outlining phases fromrequirements definitionanddesigntoimplementation,testing, andmaintenance. The author emphasizes the importance ofcost-effective engineering,process improvement, andrisk mitigation, introducing concepts likeanticipatory

en-US

18:37

The top 5 reasons why you can’t write good requirements

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/05/06

The AI team take a deep dive into a webinar in which Dr Joseph Kasser, outlinesthe top five reasons for difficulties in writing good requirementsand proposes solutions. It highlightsinnovations in systems engineering, project management, and postgraduate educationdeveloped by the author. Kasser introducesunique learning programsutilizing the "Evercourse" lifelong learning format to address these challenges. The webinar emphasizes practical knowledge and experience, offeringaffordable

en-US

18:12

Hitchins’ Viable Systems Model

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/05/04

The AI team take a deep dive into Professor Hitchins concept of reference models for understanding systems, introducing his Generic Reference Model (GRM) from 1992, which encompasses form, function, and behavior. The text elaborates on these three aspects and then presents the Hitchins Viable Systems Model (H-VSM) as an evolution of the GRM's function model. The H-VSM is depicted as a layered model for analyzing open, autonomous, and viable systems, applicable to various entities from individuals to

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14:48

A Unique Innovative Systems Thinking Workshop for...

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/04/29

The AI team take a deep dive into a systems thinking workshop designed to equip individuals with methods and tools for managing complex systems effectively. This hands-on virtual workshop utilizes a unique format involving pre-recorded lectures and live sessions focused on discussing participant exercises. This innovative approach is rooted in prior work, including the balanced classroom pedagogy which advocates for blending various teaching techniques, and the Evercourse lifelong learning

en-US

14:07

Seven principles for systems engineered solution systems

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/04/28

Our AI team takes a deep dive into a 2011 INCOSE symposium paper which argues that systems engineering lacks a unifying theory. The authors, Dr Joseph Kasser and Prof Derek Hitchins, identify disparate camps within the field, characterized by differing focuses on processes, problems, or the discipline itself. They propose a solution: seven principles for designing "solution systems," aiming to improve systems engineering practice by focusing on the outcome rather than the process.These

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17:44

Improving e-learning through systems thinking:...

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/04/23

The AI team take a deep dive into a presentation made to the BCS in 2023 which details Dr. Joseph Kasser's experiences improving e-learning, spanning from 1997 to 2022. He describes overcoming challenges in early online learning using limited technology, developing effective asynchronous and synchronous class formats, and creating innovative capstone projects. His approach involved systems engineering principles, focusing on stakeholder needs and iterative development. He highlights the evolution of

en-US

20:11

How collaboration via the World Wide Web can provide...

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/04/15

Out AI team take a deep dive into a 2000 conference paper which applied systems thinking to propose solutions to the shortage of qualified instructors in graduate-level Information Technology programs. The core idea is collaborative teaming among universities, using distance education technology to leverage global expertise and overcome geographical limitations. This approach, involving various teaching formats, aims to improve course quality, update curriculum, and address intellectual property

en-US

15:04

Analysis of alternatives: A framework for robust...

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/04/14

The AI team take a deep dive into Analysis of Alternatives (AoA), a method for making informed resource allocation decisions, used particularly within government agencies like the OMB and DoD. It outlines four maturity levels of AoA, ranging from justifying a single alternative (Level 0) to a robust multi-dimensional analysis incorporating uncertainty (Level 3). The author critiques existing OMB (Level 1) and DoD (Level 2) approaches, advocating for a Level 3 approach that integrates a comprehensive

en-US

44:39

Perceptions of systems engineering

Systems Thinking and Beyond ·

2025/04/11

The AAI team take a deep dive into the book "Perceptions of systems engineering" which presents a comprehensive examination of systems engineering, exploring its multifaceted nature. The author, a highly experienced systems engineer, analyzes various perspectives on systems engineering, including the "A" and "B" paradigms, highlighting the importance of holistic thinking and the need for a common vision in project planning. The text also examines different methodologies, tools, and models used in

en-US

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