Systems thinking is an indispensable tool in comprehending and analyzing real-world phenomena. Observed processes are naturally composed of many interconnected components which ought to be studied jointly rather than individually. Engineering systems thinking is a very valuable skill, which helps to successfully execute multi-disciplinary projects. In high-tech companies that deal with complex and dynamic systems projects, the need for engineers with high systems thinking skills is growing. Engineers with high systems thinking skills are able to understand the big picture and the project in its entirety, both functionally and conceptually, without necessarily knowing all of the small details. Systems thinking enables understanding the entire system beyond its components, and clarifies the importance of the isolated component as part of the system as a whole. Systems thinking helps understand how sub-systems connect to one whole system, and provides solutions for the client’s specifications and requirements. In addition, systems thinking enables perceiving the inter-relationships and mutual influence among the system’s components and other systems. The current study examined the development of systems thinking among engineers and engineering students. In addition, the personality traits of engineers with high systems thinking skills were examined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality type test. This article also presents the initial results of the development of a new systems thinking study course, taught as a pilot course to industrial and management engineering students. It seems that engineers with certain personality traits can acquire or improve their systems thinking capabilities through a gradual, long-term learning process and by acquiring the necessary tools. Additionally, the study includes recommendations for the continuation of ongoing research on developing systems thinking.

Systems thinking is an evolving field, and there is growing demand to integrate systems thinking into many fields. The goal of the present study was to develop a new tool for identifying systems thinkers. The study was conducted in two stages. The first, a qualitative stage, consisted of interviews, which were followed by a quantitative factor analysis in the second stage. We interviewed industry executives, lecturers at a technological college for practical engineers, and college students in order to identify the needs for systems thinking. We found that interviewees from different disciplines and roles defined some common requirements for systems thinking, but they also specified some different requirements according to their current professional status. The second stage of the study involved 120 participants with varied professional characteristics. The participants attended a five-hour seminar on systems thinking. After learning about systems thinking, participants answered a questionnaire designed to identify systems thinkers. Factor analysis was then used by the researchers to divide the responses to the questionnaire into five factors that represent common characteristic of systems thinking. Analyzing the responses to the questionnaire according to the five factors facilitates identifying the respondents’ knowledge of systems thinking and their ability to use it. Such information is important both for the process of hiring employees and for employee training processes.