Analysis and Synthesis
Purpose: To recall and contrast the difference between applying analysis and synthesis to improve a system’s performance.
To confirm how applying a mental repair to improve an organization’s performance has no positive impact and at worst negatively impacts individual and group performance. An example is entropy.
Content Focus: What is the difference between applying analysis and synthesis thinking tools to improve performance? Are they the same or vastly different?
Systems View vs. Analytical World View
“Thinking first” vs. “Just do it” “Natural forces” vs. “Best practices” “Character” vs. “Technique” “Synergy” vs. “Analysis” “Effectiveness” vs. “Efficiency”
“Quality of work-life” vs. “Getting the job done” “Love” vs. “No one cares!”
Definitions
Analysis: The process of reducing a targeted system into identifiable separate parts revealing how each part of the targeted system works taken separately. Then reverse the process combining an understanding of each part to create an understanding of the targeted system as a whole.
Synthesis: Identifying the more extensive system containing the targeted system reveals its functions and roles within the larger containing system. The process exposes why the targeted system works the way it does.
To be most effective, a leader must be aware of the difference between repair and improvement strategies when applied to an organization (social system). Repair and improvement require very different mental tools. To use the wrong cognitive tools is to be ineffective. Applying analytical tools for improvement is a waste of time and energy.
By Nature: Analysis is the world’s most potent mental repair tool. It is a terrible improvement tool.
Steps in Analysis:
- Take the targeted system apart.
- Identify the behavior/properties of each part of the targeted system.
- Add the behaviors of all the parts of the targeted system to understand the targeted system as a whole.
Example: Applying analysis to a system (social). Explain a university using analysis.
- Begin by disassembling the university. The parts would include but are not limited to colleges, departments, faculty, students, and courses.
- Define each part separately to include colleges, departments, faculty, students, and courses.
- Combine each part’s definitions separately into a definition of the university as a whole.
Why? Why is this idea important? Analysis reveals how a system works. Knowing how a system works is very important when the intent is to repair a system.
By Nature: Synthesis is the world’s most powerful mental improvement tool. It is a terrible repair tool. The following example is a summary from a presentation by Russell Ackoff.
Steps in Synthesis:
- Identify the system containing the targeted system.
- Identify the behavior/properties of the containing system.
- Separate the understanding of the whole containing system into the targeted system’s
role/function.
To explain why a targeted system behaves, you need to discover its role/function in the larger containing system.
Example: Applying synthesis to a system (social). Explain a university using synthesis.
- Identify the system containing the university (state university system and the larger educational system of which it is a part).
- Define the state university system’s objectives and functions and the larger educational system of which it is a part.
- Define the university in terms of its role and functions in the larger educational system.
By Nature: The single biggest mistake leaders make when trying to improve an organization’s performance (social system) is to apply analysis products for improvement. Wrong! Analytical tools are for repair. Repair means to take actions facilitating the system to function optimally within its original design limits. In this case, analysis can be beneficial.
Again, to facilitate an organization (social system) to perform within its design limits is a repair process. Thousands of hours are spent each year applying products of analysis resulting in a black hole sucking the energy out of the organization.
Although weakened by this reckless behavior, most social systems survive in a diminished state. The leader is unaware of what is perceived to improve performance is actually draining performance out of the system.
Example: Let us say the air cleaner on your home air conditioning system is dirty and is
severely restricting air from moving through the system. If you replace the dirty air filter with a clean air filter and the air cools more efficiently, did you repair or improve performance? This is a trick question. The answer: you corrected the system’s performance consistent with its original performance design limits. It got better because you fixed it. Repair is to optimize the system by meeting the performance standards set for the system consistent with its original design.
Increasing efficiency and effectiveness consistent with the organization’s original design limits is repair. To facilitate an organization (social system) to perform at a higher level by replacing the existing system with a system with greater performance limits (based on design) is to facilitate improvement. (See Chapter 3, Adapt vs Adopt.)
The essential properties of a whole system derive from its parts’ interactions, not their actions taken separately. Therefore, when a system is taken apart, it loses its essential properties. Because of the nature of systems – and this is the critical point
– a system is a whole that cannot be understood by analysis.
A Review
To improve a system, one must understand it.
To repair a system, an understanding of the system is not necessary.
In analytical thinking, the thing to be explained is treated as a whole to be taken apart. In synthesis thinking, the thing to be explained is treated as a part of a containing whole.
The former reduces the focus of the investigator (leader); the latter expands it. Do you intend to repair or improve the targeted system? Let us get that straight first.
Steps in the analysis, as stated by Russell Ackoff:
Step 1. “Take it apart.”
Step 2. “Try to understand what each part does separately.”
Step 3. “Aggregate the understanding of each part into an understanding of the whole.”
- Analysis focuses on structure; it reveals how things work.
- Analysis yields knowledge.
- Analysis is the most potent “repair” thinking tool available to humans.
- Analysis can only tell you how to “repair.”
- Analysis is an ineffective tool when used for improvement.
- Analysis applied to any system neutralizes all products of the analytical process, making the products useless as improvement tools (examples: competencies, job analysis, and performance appraisal).
In analysis, the process breaks a system into parts. Once separated from the whole system, the separated parts lose their vitality and usefulness. Saying it differently, it loses its essential properties.
- Synthesis focuses on functions; it reveals why things operate as they do.
- Synthesis reveals understanding.
- Synthesis is a powerful “improvement” tool.
- Synthesis can provide direction for improvement.
- Synthesis is not a useful repair tool.
Consequences: Without understanding the differences between analysis and synthesis, leaders cause performance damage when they unknowingly use the wrong tool.
Here is the main thing I want to say! Ask yourself. Is it my intent to repair or improve the system? This is a critical distinction. Be clear. Write it down. Next, identify the thinking tool you will use. Analysis or synthesis? Analysis is the world’s most potent repair tool. It is a terrible improvement tool.
Too many leaders mistakenly think repairing a system is an act of improvement. Not true. If the leader is working on a system with its intent within its design limits, that is repair. Just because it increased in terms of performance within its design limits does not mean it improved. Again, this is a critical distinction. No, it was repaired.
To apply analysis for improvement is to invite entropy.
Media I recommend for your library:
Book: Ackoff’s Best by Russell Ackoff
Book: The Democratic Corporation by Russell AckoffBook: Redesigning Society by Russell Ackoff and Sheldon Rovin Video: Mechanistic to Social Systems Thinking by Russell Ackoff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGN5DBpW93g
