System vs. Thing

In thinking how debt free education could lead to a more fulfilling life and what could/should be made to aid people in their journey, a system or a thing, I am drawn more towards a system, but its possibly that there is a third option — a hybrid of a thing made for a system to encourage people to find fulfillment from their interest, ideas or passions.

But how should this system be designed? Is it a set of guidelines or is it more open ended to allow for more self-exploration? Or should it just be more practical, as in here is a system to either subsidize education or make it debt free? Which type of system would people value most?

Should the thing be a website or app to supply a “user friendly” interface to aid people during this process? Or can it be something physical and tangible that maybe provides fascination or inspiration? What would that ultimately look like?

It seems like I am producing more questions than I am answers, so I think I need to continue to research and explore this topic further before deciding on what form it will eventually undergo.