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Meadows (2009) Thinking in Systems - A PrimerBy: Rowena
For Stage 2 you constructed a simple model from the ground up with
Insight Maker. You demonstrated different scenarios and the
storytelling functionality to explain your model. This time you'll be doing much the same, but you'll introduce a topic of your own interest, related to sustainability.
GoalsTo introduce a sustainability topic that interests you.To demonstrate that the topic pertains to sustainability.To demonstrate that the topic contains unanswered questions, and is therefore interesting.To show your audience that the questions aren't too easy (trivial) to solve.To convince your peers that you will be able to build a systems model that helps answer some of these questions.To practice some of the
Insight Maker techniques you learned in Stages 0-2.
TaskThis time you'll be exploring your own ideas about sustainability and introducing your peers to a relevant topic that interests you. The topic should contain some unanswered questions that you can use a systems model to answer. You don't have to answer those questions at this stage but just need to show that there's something worth investigating. To do so you'll need to try find the right balance between a topic that's rich enough to yield interesting (ie. unsolved) questions but not so complicated that you won't be able to solve it. Don't worry too much if you don't find the perfect balance at this stage -- part of the point is to solicit lots of helpful feedback from your peers to help guide you through the next stages.Your task is to use the storytelling feature in Insight Maker to introduce your audience to a topic:First, develop a simple
Insight Maker systems model that demonstrates your line of thinking on the topic. Your model should be simple enough that the audience can be confident it functions as you intended. I would suggest a total of 5-10 stocks, flows, and variables (altogether). (You are not required to add buttons to explore alternative scenarios at this stage, but you may if it helps your story.) Remember, your model doesn't need to be able to answer the questions you're raising at this point, but just give the reader a sense of how you're thinking about the topic. Then write a
story that performs the following functions:Gets the reader interested in the topic,Explains your model design (why the included primitives are the most important and not others, and how the primitives depend on each other),Raises some interesting unsolved questions related to this model, andDiscusses how you intend to further develop the model to answer some of these questions.Don't forget to set the story to
Automatically start story: For Non-Editors and check that your story works as it should. (Note: Constructing the model and story may require significant effort and time so start working on them early. The skills you develop here will help you be successful in later project stages.)To submit your work as an answer on ComPAIR:Copy the model's URL from your browser's location bar (eg. "https://insightmaker.com/insight/67682/Riks-joke").Follow the instructions on ComPAIR to start an
Answer to this stage’s assignment.Click the
Link button (top-right of the toolbar).Paste your copied URL into the
URL box and click
OK.
Submit your answer.
You are encouraged to make your model Private during the answering period. Make sure you make it Public before the comparing period! (Don’t let forgetfulness cost you marks!)EvaluationThis stage will be worth 5 project marks. Your work will be evaluated by your peers on the following criteria. Weights are indicated in
[brackets].
Answering period [4 marks][1.0 marks] Which is more interesting in the field of sustainability? – Which topic (1) is more relevant to sustainability and (2) would you be more interested to learn more about? (There may be a tension between relevance and interest. As the comparer you may decide which is more important to you.)
[1.0 marks] Which is better implemented? – Which presents a clearer model that is more likely to be correct?
[1.5 marks] Which is more likely to yield interesting results? – Based on what you've seen so far, which model is more likely to be fruitful in the end and produce interesting answers to the questions raised? The answers should not be obvious at this point (not too easy) but should emerge as the model develops in later stages (not too hard).
[0.5 marks] Which provides better attribution of sources? – Which answer is more careful to fully acknowledge outside sources they used?
Comparing period [1 mark]You will also be graded for comparing your peers' models. You will be graded on:
[0.5 marks] Completion of your evaluations by making at least 6 comparisons.
[0.5 marks] The quality of your comparisons and feedback. Please write specific, constructive feedback for the author. Please read the PDF below on providing and receiving effective feedback.
Additional informationReminder: We're using a peer evaluation tool called ComPAIR. It is being studied for its usefulness and I hope you'll participate in the study. The
Research Study Information page on Connect contains information on what information is collected and how to opt-out. Note that even if you opt-out you must still complete the assigned work on ComPAIR -- your information just won't be included in the study.Don't forget about the
Insight Maker help discussion forum on Connect. Ask/answer questions there. You can earn flex points for helping each other out! Emily & Rik will also watch this forum and offer help there.Ideally, the ideas you introduce here will grow into your final project. But, if after receiving feedback you decide your topic is untenable, you may try another topic in the next stage. (But your work will be expected to be further along and still meet the requirements of Stage 4 at that time.
