ALED 342/ALEC 609 INFO 4/09 LEARNING COMM REFLECTION DUE 4/21 APP 4 DUE 4/21 LEADER E EVAL DUE EXAM #2 –Add Part 1 points + Part 2 points + Part 3 points = your score out of 250 points possible –Class average = 84%

Systems Thinking ALED 342/ALEC 609 Dr. Chris Townsend Texas A&M University

Systems Thinking: Formal Definition A way of thinking about and a language for describing and understanding the forces and interrelationship that shape the behavior of systems. This discipline helps change organizations in relation to the forces within and surrounding the organization. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?????????

Systems Thinking: How your actions shape current reality A framework, a blue print A way to enhance quality of thinking and decision-making

A recipe is a framework to enhance quality Chocolate chip/oatmeal cookies –¼ C butter –¾ C crisco –2 eggs –¾ C brown sugar –¾ C sugar –1 ½ C flour –1 t baking soda –1 t salt –2 t water –1 t vanilla –½ bag chips –1 C oats What happens if you forget the sugar?

Systems Thinking: How your actions shape current reality See the whole organization See the interrelationships Distinguish important data & complex patterns that affect outcomes

Systems Thinking Analysis Steps APPLICATION 4 LINKS: arrows that represent influence from one element to another Links show cause and effect Cause Effect

Links Made Simple: Draw how an event influences another part of the system Number of Students Class Size

Loops 1.Links are connected 2.Connection is a circle 3.Circle demonstrates causality 4.Events can be both cause and effect

LINKS to LOOPS Draw events within a system Turn LINK into a circle Use arrows to show how each event influences the next one Number of Students Class Size

LOOPS made simple: Now read what the loop says: First ½ : When more students are admitted, classes get larger Second ½: When classes get larger, more students are admitted So, what happens to the SYSTEM? The cause/effect continues…over and over again Number of Students Class Size

CAUSAL LOOPS Add more detail to indicate type of INFLUENCE Add an O to indicate OPPOSITE effect Add an S to indicate SAME effect Number of StudentsClass size

CREATE A CAUSAL LOOP When student #s go UP, class size goes UP (S) When class size goes UP, student #s go DOWN (O) Students Class size S O variable

Corn Production Market Price S O Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram

Layoffs Employee Confidence Performance Anxiety O O O O Causal Loop Interpretation: What does it say? variable O=opposite influence

Layoffs Employee Confidence Performance Anxiety O O O O Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram

Consumer Demand for Organic Food New Products Cost to Consumer Production O S S O Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram Market Price S

2 Types of Loops Balancing Reinforcing

Reinforcing Loops Generate exponential growth or great collapse Influences go up, means things are great Influences go down, means a vicious downward cycle

Balancing Loops Influences are be self-correcting Organization does not spin out of control Stops a run away downward reinforcing loop

Determining Balancing vs. Reinforcing Balancing = odd # of Os Reinforcing = no Os or even # Os COUNT THEM & SEE IF IT WORKS!

Corn Production Market Price S O Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram B

Layoffs Employee Confidence Performance Anxiety O O O O R

Learning Reinforcement In your Learning Community, diagram an organizational situation with a causal loop –Create a causal loop –Must have at least 4 variables –Label the influences ( O or S) –Label as a B Balancing or R Reinforcing Loop –Post on the wall when you are complete –View other LCs loops Complete Application #4 DUE 4/21/08