What is Civil Engineering Systems?

Civil engineering systems is a 'holistic' approach to civil engineering based on systems thinking. It is concerned with physical 'hard' systems as well as human and organisational 'soft' systems. Systems thinking is not a subject like Structures, Hydraulics or Geomechanics - it is a way of thinking. Here are three essential features in the way we use systems thinking:

• parts, wholes and levels which we capture through the word 'holon'
• connectivity
• process

Systems thinking helps us to:

• see the connections between ideas more easily
• see what is common
• understand quality and values more easily
• have a customer focus
• realise values from processes
• integrate people and processes
• see the simplicity in complexity
• demonstrate practical rigour
• use tools to manage uncertainty
• think in loops and not straight lines