In a Ted talk in 2021, Steve Woodsmall, an American politician, tells a story about a critical malaria outbreak in Borneo, an island in Southeast Asia. He narrated that in the 1950s, the World Health Organization, in an attempt to solve the problem, sprayed large amounts of DDT to kill the mosquitoes that carried malaria. They were successful. However other things happened, the DDT killed caterpillars and other insects eaten by gecko lizards. Cats then ate the lizards, and the cats also died, which led to the multiplication of rats and, ultimately, an outbreak of two diseases on the Island.
Systems thinking deals with seeing the big picture and how individual elements are interrelated and influence outcomes over time instead of how one component affects results. The interconnection between the parts may not always be evident, as in the case of WHO’s approach to solving the situation at Borneo, until a system-thinking process is mapped out.
At Darko Institute, we emphasize systems thinking approach to training and developing well-rounded Network Engineers and delve into three main components; networking, cyber security and Linux as interrelated parts that work together and not as individual systems existing in silos.
For example, a Network Engineer working in a company that manages high data cannot only focus on traditional networking without considering cyber security’s input on outcomes because the company may be a high-value target for hackers.
This approach prepares our graduates to:
- Creatively solve real-world problems
- Think critically
- Make better-informed decisions
- Stand out amongst other professionals
