The foundation
Systems thinking is how we trace the unseen consequences of policy.
Markets, institutions and communities form an order that no single ministry can see in full, so every intervention should be tested for its effects elsewhere before it is imposed. Every policy is a component of a larger national system and must be judged by whether it improves that system’s performance.
What we hold
Five principles of systems thinking
01
No policy stands alone
Every policy creates effects upstream and downstream, including in sectors it was never designed for.
02
Silos are the enemy of performance
Fragmented policymaking produces conflicting rules, duplicated spending and hidden costs.
03
National systems must communicate
Ministries, agencies, data systems and regulators must share information and act on common feedback.
04
Policies have a lifecycle
Like infrastructure, policies must be designed, monitored, maintained and, when necessary, retired.
05
Coherence can be measured
System performance must be assessed with evidence, not assumed.
In practice
We map every policy’s links, feedback loops and cross-sector effects before recommending it.
Our guiding pillars
Six pillars on one foundation
On the foundation of systems thinking stand six pillars that shape how we analyse, design and judge public policy.
01
Good Governance & Institutional Effectiveness
A policy is only as good as the institutions that deliver it: accountable, transparent and capable, under the rule of law.
In practice: test whether institutions have the mandate, capacity, data and accountability to deliver.
02
Design Thinking
Building policy around the real needs of citizens and users.
In practice: engage users early, prototype and pilot, and iterate on evidence before rollout.
03
Sustainability
Policies that do not pass costs and debts to the next generation, and stay viable over generations.
In practice: test long-term fiscal and institutional durability, beyond electoral cycles.
04
Circular Economy
Market-driven efficiency: designing out waste and keeping resources, assets and value in use.
In practice: find where one sector’s waste or idle capacity can become another’s input.
05
Inclusive Development
Fair distribution of benefits and burdens, with a voice for all affected groups.
In practice: assess impacts on women, youth, rural communities, persons with disabilities and low-income households.
06
Futures Thinking
Preparing policy for the world it will operate in over its whole life.
In practice: test policies against plausible technological, demographic and environmental change.
See the pillars at work
The Policy Systems Coherence Index scores any policy from 0 to 100 using 40 indicators grouped under these six pillars.