Systems Thinking

Lessons

1. 01

   Why Things Keep Happening

   See why a pile you keep clearing keeps coming back, and which kind of change actually stops it.

   10 steps
2. 02

   The Iceberg

   Look beneath a recurring problem to its pattern, its structure and the beliefs that hold it in place, and match your response to the level.

   9 steps·Builds on Why Things Keep Happening
3. 03

   Stocks and Flows

   Track anything that piles up, see when it really peaks and work out roughly how long a queue will keep you waiting.

   12 steps·Builds on Why Things Keep Happening
4. 04

   Reinforcing Loops

   Spot growth that feeds on itself, see why it shows up so late, and recognise the same loop driving a decline.

   10 steps·Builds on Stocks and Flows
5. 05

   Balancing Loops

   See how a goal, a gap and a correction hold things steady, why many steady things have no one in charge, and what happens when two loops chase different goals.

   8 steps·Builds on Reinforcing Loops
6. 06

   Delays

   See why a delay turns sensible corrections into overshoot, why some changes get worse before they get better, and how to count what is already on its way.

   11 steps·Builds on Balancing Loops
7. 07

   Behaviour Over Time

   Read the shape of a line over time as a fingerprint of the loops and delays behind it, and know what a shape can and can’t tell you.

   8 steps·Builds on Reinforcing Loops, Balancing Loops, Delays
8. 08

   Drawing Causal Loop Diagrams

   Sketch a loop someone else can check: name the variables, sign each link against what would otherwise happen, and trace it to tell reinforcing from balancing.

   12 steps·Builds on Reinforcing Loops, Balancing Loops
9. 09

   Fixes That Backfire

   Recognise two traps that keep problems coming back: the fix whose side effect feeds the problem, and the quick relief that stops the real solution from growing.

   10 steps·Builds on Drawing Causal Loop Diagrams, Delays
10. 10

    Limits to Growth

    Find the limit that stalls something growing, see why pushing harder makes it worse, and spot the quieter failures: a standard that drifts down and a capacity nobody pays for.

    9 steps·Builds on Stocks and Flows, Drawing Causal Loop Diagrams
11. 11

    Shared Resources and Rivalry

    See why a shared resource runs out even when everyone takes only a little, how people who share one keep it going, and why trying to stay one step ahead of a rival can spiral.

    11 steps·Builds on Stocks and Flows, Drawing Causal Loop Diagrams
12. 12

    Mental Models

    When different people in the same role keep producing the same result, look at the seat before the person, and at the map in each head that sets the rules.

    8 steps·Builds on The Iceberg
13. 13

    What Your Map Leaves Out

    Every map draws a line round what it counts. Check where the work, the costs and the side effects go once they cross that line.

    9 steps·Builds on Why Things Keep Happening, Stocks and Flows
14. 14

    Leverage Points

    Locate the places where a change acts on a system, from settings and buffers to information, rules and goals, and check you’re pushing the right way.

    10 steps·Builds on Stocks and Flows, Balancing Loops, Delays
15. 15

    Testing a Change

    Tell whether a change really worked: write the number down first, wait out the delay, compare with the usual rather than the worst, and credit each flow separately.

    10 steps·Builds on Delays, Behaviour Over Time
16. 16

    System Mapping in Practice

    Put the whole course to work on one real problem: a bike shop whose backlog is feeding itself. Count it, find the loop, choose the lever and judge the result.

    11 steps·Builds on Stocks and Flows, Reinforcing Loops, Delays, Limits to Growth, Leverage Points, Testing a Change