What Are Systemic Problems?

Whether in our work, our lives, or in the news, we often notice certain things happening over and over again. From another perspective, these recurring issues are often what we call systemic problems. Systemic problems are frequently tied to performance or incentives. Their surface appearance is often "just trying a simpler approach"—it might seem like a fix, but the underlying nature and mechanics remain the same. Even if you change the person in charge, the problem persists because the core reason lies in the inadequacy of the system's structure. When goals or performance targets are hard to meet, the behavior of the organization or team can go off track.

Doesn't this kind of situation also happen frequently when we write code? For example:

• The same bug you just fixed reappears.

What these phenomena reflect is the existence of a systemic problem.

Learning Systemic Thinking Through Serendipity

I used to work for a company in Singapore where employees with over three years of service were sent to a course on systemic thinking. The company wanted experienced developers, when faced with a problem, to spend more time thinking about how to prevent its recurrence. For complex and recurring issues, we were required to propose at least two solutions (short-term, medium-term, or long-term). This mindset led to rapid growth in both my work and my learning.

Here are three common approaches to problem-solving:

1. Short-term Fix: Solves only the immediate problem. It's a temporary solution that requires little investment but has a high chance of recurring.
2. Leveraged Solution: Involves spending a little extra time on the task to prevent it from recurring in the medium to long term.
3. Root Cause Solution: Addresses the fundamental cause of the problem. The cost is higher, but it can eliminate the issue at its source, though it's often difficult to achieve.

Finally

Whenever a problem occurs, we should focus more on its fundamental nature and consider how to prevent it from recurring. Usually, the system itself is what most needs to be adjusted. However, once issues accumulate and become a systemic problem, relying on single-faceted improvements or small investments is rarely enough to solve it completely.