Effective Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) bring a variety of tactical and technical skills to the position. In this workshop, there are two lessons which discuss some of the non-technical or “soft” skills that are also very important in Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM). Lesson two (2) explores systems thinking while lesson four (4) reviews best practices in communications. You can apply the techniques in these lessons directly to your job now and in the future—whether it’s controlling airplanes, designing traffic management measures (TMMs), or communicating with stakeholders.
Systems thinking is a rapidly growing discipline that helps organizations better understand the interrelationship between system parts, subsystems, and the whole system.
The insights provided by systems thinking are especially relevant to traffic management because of the close coordination and cooperation required at all levels and locations to provide maximum air traffic efficiency.
Lesson Outline
Systems Thinking Overview
Systems Thinking - ATFM Big Picture
Overlapping Systems
How and Why a System Works
Systems Thinking Concepts & Learning Challenges
Systems Thinking Outcomes
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Describe the basics of systems thinking.
Identify relationships between systems and subsystems within air traffic flow management.
Identify how systems thinking maximizes air traffic safety and efficiency—within and outside of your home airspace.
Notes
References for this lesson include The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization (1990), Peter Senge.
2.1 Systems Thinking Overview
A system is a complete unit, with interdependent parts, that continuously affect each other over time to achieve a common purpose. Criteria to be considered a system include:
More than two parts and the parts are interdependent.
Interaction of the parts produces a result not achievable by any individual part.
Parts are often subsystems within a greater system (governmental, airline, transportation, military, economic etc.).
A car is an example of a closed system. A big organization, such as CENDA, is more open. Other examples of systems include biological, electrical, mechanical, natural, organizational, and social.
Systems thinking:
Promotes the idea that team learning creates greater and more productive combined knowledge than individual and differing insights.
Focuses on building shared visions and discarding egos.
Encourages consideration of “the bigger picture” and solving long term problems.
Systems thinking helps air traffic managers see the big picture in complex situations, not just their individual area.
As human beings, it’s easy to blame others for our problems. Systems thinking shows us there is no separate “other”; you and the someone else are part of a single system.
A Traffic Management System meets the criteria for a system. It consists of more than two parts, the parts are interconnected and interdependent, and the parts interact (through collaboration) to achieve system efficiency.
The opposite of Systems Thinking is information silos.
2.3 Overlapping Systems
A Flow Management Unit (FMU) is one of many subsystems.
FMU/ Flight Information Region (FIR) systems interact with other FMU/FIR systems and each is a subsystem of the Caribbean and Latin American environment.
There are three levels of subsystems within an FIR:
FIR/Management (FIR Management itself is part of larger and larger systems).
ATC (TOWER-TMA-ACC)
FMU
2.4 How and Why a System Works
“How” a system works describes the internal parts of a system and their interactions. For example, a car has a steering wheel, chassis, and brakes. These parts, and others, connect to make the car move.
To understand “why” a system operates the way it does, look outside the system, to the larger system(s) of which it is a part. For example: The market for electric vehicles in Latin America and the Caribbean has grown considerably in recent years. A variety of larger systems are driving this growth, including the high cost to import fuel, increased air pollution in cities across the region, and efforts/desire to reduce global warming.
The structure (parts and interrelationships) of a system will change in response to changes in the larger system(s). For example, the COVID-19 pandemic changed how airlines operate. Some of the changes will become lasting changes in policies and procedures.
2.5 Systems Thinking Concepts & Learning Challenges
Fig 2.1 - The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization
In his book, The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization (1990), Peter Senge explains systems thinking in depth, including several concepts and challenges that prevent individuals and organizations from learning and developing.
The idea is that systems thinking helps us see the big picture and the interrelationships which might, at first, seem to be completely unconnected.
To illustrate this theory, below are some examples of systems thinking concepts and learning challenges.
Systems Thinking Concepts
Navigate the slides below to see all concepts.
Today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions.
People develop solutions with good intentions. However, some solutions create unintended problems for the next person or in the future.
Behavior gets better before it gets worse.
A quick, short-term decision may make a problem disappear temporarily, but often the original issue is still there. Because the issue is not resolved, eventually the problem becomes worse.
Cause and effect may not be closely related in time and space.
A problem may begin long before the effects (i.e. symptoms that indicate there are problems) can be seen.
Small changes can produce big results, but are often the least obvious.
Well-focused, small actions can be very productive if implemented in the right place at the appropriate time. This idea is known as leverage.
We all have a piece of the problem.
ATFM is one big system, with many subsystems. Everyone’s role makes an impact.
When asked what they do, most people respond by naming the tasks they perform, not seeing the “bigger picture” of which they are a part. They often see their responsibilities limited by the scope of their position.
The illusion of taking charge - “Reactive” is out. “Proactive” is in.
Some may think proactivity means doing something right away to solve the problem. But, if the action is a short-term fix, or creates more problems elsewhere, it is not a positive contribution.
Whether in ATFM or elsewhere, true proactiveness includes seeing how we contribute to our own problems. It’s about our way of thinking, not our emotional state.
The fixation on events may distract us from recognizing trends.
Individuals and organizations who fixate on events tend to focus on immediate situations, losing sight of the big picture. They miss patterns of change that underlie the events, and the opportunity to understand what caused the patterns.
The parable of the “boiled frog”
Organizations that fail often lack ability to address gradually growing threats. A metaphor for this behavior is the parable of the “boiled frog.” A frog placed in a pot of boiling water will immediately jump out. But, a frog placed in a pot of water at room temperature will stay put. Heat the water gradually to higher temperatures and the frog becomes groggy and will eventually boil to death. The frog’s internal sensors are geared to recognize sudden changes in its environment, not slow, gradual changes.
Personal Mastery: Deepen your personal vision, develop patience, and see reality objectively.
Shared vision: Try to foster genuine commitment and enrollment rather than compliance.
Team dialog and learning: Enter into genuine thinking together; ask for input from team members.
Considerably more information is available on Systems Thinking. Over the last several years, it has become a studied discipline and there are many books and articles available.
In this lesson, you learned:
A system is two or more interdependent parts whose interactions produce something none of the individual parts could on their own.
Systems thinking is a philosophy that says everyone contributes to making the system work.
With a systems thinking mindset, air traffic managers see the big picture in complex situations, not just their individual area; an important concept when implementing TMMs.
FIRs, ATC facilities, and FMUs are all part of the global airspace system.
Lesson 2 Knowledge CheckMatching Quiz