Systems Thinking drawing causal loop diagrams to effect change Marc Evers – Piecemeal Growth Willem van den Ende – Living Software

complex systems

linear cause-effect thinking is not sufficient

need a different way of thinking & seeing

the whole interrelations

self-reinforcing and balancing loops nonlinearity

firefighting tackle root causes

let's play...

perceived competencenew balls thrown in balls in air + + +

perceived competencenew balls thrown in balls in air avg time to catch % unsuccessful catches balls dropped - + -

- avg time to catch % unsuccessful catches balls dropped perceived competencenew balls thrown in balls in air balls on the floor people chasing balls people catching

water temperature + desired temperature difference warm water supply delay variable causal relation (same) causal relation (opposite) loop (balancing) diagram of effects aka causal loop diagram

B A + B A - B A S B A O B A B A same effectopposite effect B A management decision

creating a diagram 1. tell the story – ask questions, determine scope and focus question 2. collect variables – observable or measurable – behaviour over time 3. determine cause effect relations 4. look for loops – reinforcing, stabilizing 5. simplify – 7 ± 2 variables - remove unrelated variables – split up the diagram 6. identify possible interventions

background systems theory cybernetics system dynamics organizational learning

Peter M. Senge The Fifth Discipline Gerald M. Weinberg Quality Software Management

Linda Booth Sweeney Dennis Meadows Systems Thinking Playbook

systems thinking in context

questions