The interaction of a population of Moose and Wolves.

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.

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.

How we know what we know.

Clone of IM-752 map for working simulation model This model is derived from "Nobody Ever Gets Credit for Fixing Problems that Never Happened: Creating and Sustaining Process Improvement" by Nelson P. Repenning and John D Sterman. An expanded map is at IM-1918.

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.

Clone of IM-752 map for working simulation model This model is derived from "Nobody Ever Gets Credit for Fixing Problems that Never Happened: Creating and Sustaining Process Improvement" by Nelson P. Repenning and John D Sterman. An expanded map is at IM-1918.

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.

The generic stock & flow form for a balancing loop.

Fixes that Fail Systems Archetype Causal Loop Diagram.

A Limits to Growth Systems Archetype consists of a Reinforcing Loop, the growth of which, after some success, is offset by the action of a Balancing Loop.

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.

Joe P. is currently managing a project that's behind schedule and he's experiencing substantial pressure to get the project back on track.

If we pay close attention to our actions and the typical outcomes of those actions it would be evident that there are frequently occurring patterns that develop. And there is a relation between the patterns.

Introduce the concept of modeling and simulation.

Introduce the concept of modeling and simulation.

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.

How we know what we know.

A quick example for creating a simulation in Insight Maker.

Shifting the Burden/SFD is a segment of Systems Archetypes in the Systemic Perspective Series.

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.

Addiction Systems Archetype Stock & Flow Diagram.

This fixes that fail diagram describes how people often address symptoms, but not fundamental causes.  Poke yoke is a design principle that operates in one of two ways.  One is to prevent the defect from occurring, which addresses the source.  This is ideal because there are no defective products to scrap or rework.

The other is one that prevents defective work-in-process from being passed on to the next stage.  This does not prevent the defect from occurring.  There is still the scrap and rework, but it prevents the product from reaching the customer.

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.