Lessons Learned from Teaching Systems Practices in an Art Studio Format

Over 5 years of research and application, we have created and tested a set of cross-disciplinary learning programs merging studio art, systems thinking, and systems architecture to help students rapidly gain systems competencies. The original research produced a framework for relating learning concepts across these three domains. We have applied the framework in both professional education and graduate settings to teach systems thinking, critical thinking, and systems design using a tailored classroom approach derived from studio art classes. The studio format encourages the students to build their skills across a portfolio of work focused on creating appropriate views of a system, communicating them, and gaining critical review—three core aspects of the systems thinking process. The use of art, as embodied in systems-related tools, has proven to be an effective method for accelerating the development of these skills. This article presents the framework and a student example from a graduate-level systems and critical thinking class taught using the studio art approach. Discussions with the student are used to illustrate the value of the process and tools.