Systems thinking in design is an approach where companies consider the big picture first and specific interactions later, establishing a design system early to set the product direction and focus design efforts on important areas. A system is defined as an interconnected set of elements that are coherently organized to achieve something. Applying systems thinking involves asking questions such as what are the core elements in the system, how they are connected, and their purpose. This approach can help uncover new possibilities, prioritize work, reuse existing components, and improve products by making them simpler and better. To apply systems thinking, teams can draw out their product's system on a whiteboard, ask questions such as how to achieve goals with fewer elements, and consider modifying the overall purpose of the system.