To cause a system upgrade, we must first understand what we are attempting to change as a system, which necessitates the creation of a system model of it. We think of a system as just a summation of its parts and thus requires no special attention. It is necessary to change our approach in which we focus solely on individual system elements to improve their efficiency, resulting in at best incremental change before our system is eventually displaced by a new paradigm.
A system is a collection of interconnected parts. The interdependence of these parts is what allows the entire system to function. This is why, when it comes to system innovations, we should focus on the connections rather than the parts in order to see the emergence of new macro-level structures and overall system functionality..
Innovation cannot occur in the absence of a space of possibilities. By focusing on outcomes and functions, we can let go of the specific form of a current system and create an open space for innovation, which is the first step toward a paradigm shift. System thinking can assist us in identifying the true outcomes. Finally, we need a model that describes how this system exists within its environment, how it adapts to change within that environment, and how the entire system evolves over time. To understand the overall dynamics of the system, we should zoom in and out across all levels of the system in our analysis which impossible without system modeling.