System Thinking Archetypes

Archetype 1 Limits to Growth A process leading to continuous growth inadvertently creates secondary effects which slows the growth.

Archetype 2. Shifting the Burden Rather than solving a problem, the symptoms of the problem are treated with easier solutions. This looks like it works, but the problems still remain.

Archetype 3. Special Case – Shifting the Burden to the Intervenor When an outside person solves a problem, those within the system rely on that person and never learn to solve problems for themselves.

Archetype 4 Eroding Goals A short-term solution results in the decline of the long-term fundamental goal.

Archetype 5. Balancing Process with delay The response to delayed feedback is too extreme, the system cannot find its balance.

Archetype 6. Escalation In competitive situations, people seek an advantage because they feel threatened to be behind.

Archetype 7. Success to the Successful When resources are limited, they are directed toward the most successful, which leads to greater disparity.

Archetype 8. Tragedy of the Commons Shared resources are used until they are depleted or destroyed.

Archetype 9. Fixes that fail A fix that worked in the short time must be continually reused because of unintended consequences for the initial uses.

Archetype 10 Growth and Underinvestment Limits to Growth can be delay with sufficient investment, but hesitance to invest soon enough may lead to slowing of growth justifying the delay in investing.

Source The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization, by Peter M Senge ( Mar 21, 2006).