There are limits to what one can infer from a qualitative model.

Diagram from a paper by James B. Rieley entitled "The Euro Financial Crisis: Making Sense of the Mess".

When endeavoring to develop an understanding of the nature of something it is generally useful to create a model of some type to aid in surfacing that understanding.

The interaction of a population of Moose and Wolves.

Introduce the concept of modeling and simulation.

This is a model depicting the interactions of the Aesop's Fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

A Tragedy of the Commons situation exists whenever two or more activities, each, which in order to produce results, rely on a shared limited resource. Results for these activities continue to develop as long as their use of the limited resource doesn't exceed the resource limit. Once this limit is reached the results produced by each activity are limited to the level at which the resource is replenished. As an example, consider multiple departments with an organization using IT resources, until they've exhausted IT capacity.

All you wanted to do was put a bird feeder in your yard to attract birds and make for a more pleasant morning. And...

Developing a strategy for dealing with a situation begins with a description of the situation and the preferred state for today, not in some distant future, and the perceived implications of not doing anything. There is a also a video for this insight.

The three common recurring structures.

A Tragedy of the Commons situation exists whenever two or more activities, each, which in order to produce results, rely on a shared limited resource. Results for these activities continue to develop as long as their use of the limited resource doesn't exceed the resource limit. Once this limit is reached the results produced by each activity are limited to the level at which the resource is replenished. As an example, consider multiple departments with an organization using IT resources, until they've exhausted IT capacity.

To develop insights regarding a situation of interest there are a number of things should be considered to ensure a view of the relevant influences.

Original Insight (#1366) by Gene Bellinger

A Growth and Underinvestment with a Drifting Standard structure is simply an elaborated Growth and Underinvestment structure where the growth inhibitor induces a decline of the standard over time. The real nasty thing about this structure is that the growth inhibitor influence sets up a Reinforcing Loop which even further promotes a drifting of the standard over time.

Use the defined relationships and complete the loops to create a reinforcing and balancing structure. Demonstrate a hubrid version of the causal loop diagram with picdtures employed to depict the various elements of the structure.

Introduce the concept of modeling and simulation.

Our actions are based on our beliefs and the results of those actions are the basis for our beliefs. The difficulty we create for ourselves is that we make assumptions as to how to interpret the results we select based on our beliefs. As a result we are often operating on a flawed perspective of reality. There is a also a video for this insight.

This is a model depicting the interactions of the Aesop's Fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

This is a model depicting the interactions of the Aesop's Fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

As long as A and B are equally successful everything will remain stable. Though if either A or B receive more resources than the other, or A or B is more successful than the other, the imbalance will result in greater success of A or B accordingly and promote even more success of the one that demonstrates greater success.

Developing a strategy for dealing with a situation begins with a description of the situation and the preferred state for today, not in some distant future, and the perceived implications of not doing anything. There is a also a video for this insight.

Introduce the concept of modeling and simulation.

Based on a sound realization of reality we need an effective approach to dealing with situations which promotes the requisite understanding to develop a strategy that deals appropriately with the situation. A strategy which also is explicitly designed to minimize unintended consequences and puts in place responses to them should they arise.

This model is an attempt to map out a template for a general implementation plan or strategy for the Enabling a Better Tomorrow process for use with New Community Paradigms

This model depicts the high level sector model for the U.S. Economy to be used in contemplating how to assess the health of the economy.