Can you help shape our future priorities? Take a five minute survey now. Survey closes on 8 July.

Publication

Systems Thinking and Practice: A guide to concepts, principles and tools for FCDO and partners

Published on 3 February 2023

This guide is a basic reference on systems thinking and practice tailored to the context and needs of the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). It is an output of the FCDO Knowledge for Development Programme (K4D), which facilitated a Learning Journey on Systems Thinking and Practice with FCDO staff during 2021 and 2022.

The guide offers a common language and shared framing of systems thinking for FCDO and its partners. It explores what this implies for working practices, business processes and leadership. It also offers links to additional resources and tools on systems thinking. We hope it can support systems thinking to become more commonplace within the culture and practices of FCDO and working relations with partner organisations.

Cite this publication

Woodhill, J. and Millican, J. (2023) Systems Thinking and Practice: A guide to concepts, principles and tools for FCDO and partners, K4D, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, DOI: 10.19088/K4D.2023.002

Authors

Honorary Associate

Juliet Millican

Honorary Associate

Publication details

published by
Institute of Development Studies
doi
10.19088/K4D.2023.002

Share

About this publication

Related content

Working Paper

BASIC Research Global Review: Widening Social Protection Approaches and Practice to Achieve Crisis-Resilient Social Protection

BASIC Research Working Paper 65

Rachel Slater & 2 others

8 July 2026

Working Paper

Sustaining Social Protection in Conflict Settings

BASIC Research Working Paper 64

8 July 2026

Working Paper

‘Some returned trembling with fear… and some did not return’ Case Study: Sustaining Social Protection in Iraq

BASIC Research Working Paper 61

8 July 2026

Working Paper

Capacities for Sustaining Social Protection in Conflict Settings

BASIC Research Working Paper 63

8 July 2026