Systems Thinking for Creative Teams and Projects

Creativity can feel like a messy process—filled with ideas, emotions, and experimentation. But when things get overwhelming, it helps to zoom out and embrace systems thinking—a way of seeing the interconnectedness of everything you’re working on.

Here’s how systems thinking can make your creative projects more impactful and your team more cohesive.

Understand the Ecosystem

Creative projects don’t exist in isolation. They’re part of a larger system of people, processes, and external factors. Systems thinking encourages you to see the bigger picture. How does your project interact with your team’s strengths? How does it respond to your audience’s needs? How is it shaped by the resources, time, or even cultural context available to you?

For example, imagine you’re designing a campaign for a public art installation. Systems thinking might lead you to explore how this installation fits into its physical environment, connects with the emotions of passersby, and sparks conversations about local history.

Start by mapping your project’s ecosystem. List all the people, processes, and elements that affect it, and draw connections between them. The goal isn’t to solve every challenge upfront but to understand the full scope of what you’re working with.

Shift from Linear to Circular Thinking

Traditional project management often moves in straight lines: Plan → Execute → Complete. But creativity rarely follows such a tidy path. Systems thinking asks you to embrace feedback loops instead.

What does this look like in practice?

• Feedback within the team: Are team members comfortable sharing their ideas, struggles, and suggestions? Are you creating opportunities for collaboration at every stage?

• Feedback from the audience: Are you checking in with your audience or stakeholders along the way? Gathering insights mid-project can help you refine and adapt before it’s too late.

• Feedback from the project itself: Every creative project teaches you something. Are you pausing to reflect on what’s working and what isn’t?

A system thrives when it learns from itself. Build checkpoints into your workflow where you can pause, reflect, and adjust based on what you’ve learned.

Design for Sustainability

Let’s talk about the people in your system—your creative team. Systems thinking reminds us that a project’s success depends not just on the final product but on the well-being of those creating it.

Are your processes sustainable? Is your team running on empty because of tight deadlines or unclear expectations? Systems thinking encourages us to see creativity as a renewable resource. It’s not about sprinting to the finish line but designing a process that allows for moments of rest, inspiration, and experimentation.

Here’s a challenge: For every project milestone, build in a moment of joy. It could be a brainstorming session in a fun new space, a team lunch to celebrate progress, or a creative play session where ideas flow freely without judgment. Joy is a vital part of any system.

The Power of Small Adjustments

One of the most beautiful things about systems thinking is the realization that small changes can have big effects. You don’t need to overhaul your entire workflow overnight. Instead, look for small tweaks that ripple outward.

For instance:

• Adding a weekly team check-in could help align priorities and surface hidden challenges.

• Creating a shared document for ideas might inspire unexpected collaborations.

• Asking “Why?” one more time during the planning phase might uncover a deeper purpose behind your project.

These micro-adjustments compound over time, creating a system that feels smoother, more connected, and more intentional.

Why Systems Thinking Matters for Creativity

Creativity is often seen as a spark of genius—a lightning bolt moment. But the truth is, creativity thrives in systems. It’s about building an environment where ideas can emerge, connect, and grow. Systems thinking helps us create that environment.

So the next time your team feels stuck or scattered, zoom out. Look at the bigger picture, identify the connections, and make space for feedback and joy. Creativity isn’t about perfection; it’s about designing systems that allow your team’s brilliance to shine.

Yours truly,
Nalla Lughano

BIG 60 MALAWI; Creativity for Social Change

Ever wondered what happens when people come together to express their hopes, dreams, and aspirations in a shared space? In July 2024, after months of plotting and planning, I remotely led 2 community art projects in Lilongwe, Malawi under my social innovation initiative Good Force. When we executed BIG 60 MALAWI, the idea was simple: create a public blackboard where anyone could write a message of hope for Malawi. What happened next was nothing short of magic.

The first installation was stationed at Game Complex in Lilongwe. A frequented stop-over for shopping and errands for the everyday L-City resident. Within hours, hundreds of people stopped to engage with the board—some wrote about their dreams for the country, others shared deeply personal reflections, and a few simply stood in silence, taking it all in. The project became more than an art installation; it became a conversation.

The second installation was at one of Malawi’s biggest annual festivals; Ufulu Festival and there, the blackboard took on a life of its own. Strangers discussed each other’s writings, children scribbled their innocent hopes, and elders left wisdom in chalk. It was a moment of collective storytelling, a reminder that public spaces can be transformed into platforms for shared vision.

Why Did This Work?

Because people crave connection. When given an open space to express themselves—free of judgment, free of limitations—they show up. And in a time when digital conversations dominate, something as analog as chalk on a board felt radical, grounding, and human.

We didn’t just create an installation; we created a system for engagement—one that allowed participation, reflection, and interaction. Thinking of innovation with people in mind reminds us that the best creative projects aren’t just for people; they’re with people.

So, if you’re designing a project that aims to create real impact, ask yourself: How are you making space for people to engage, not just consume? Because when you give people a voice, they fill the silence with something extraordinary.

The A-Team! From L-R: Tubukeghe, Balinah, Aisha, Eunice and my brother, Emmanuel my brother :)

Shout out to the amazing team on the ground that moved earth and sky to make this possible. To learn more about our work at Good Force, write to me at nallalughano@gmail.com.

Yours truly,
Nalla