Thinking in Systems by Donella H Meadows
The book is around 250 pages. An alternative to reading for those of you that aren’t readers is reading the appendix, learning the terms, and going back to what you are interested in.
Here is a youtube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBFpasY2Gd8&list=PLL6RiAl2WHXEU04zFYyWrUGV_fqGG4TuR&ab_channel=AshleyHodgson
I’m not really sure what to call this phenomena, but basically someone will say something that seems kinda problematic and then you are waiting for them to give context or counter their first statement and then they do. That happened quite a few times when watching it. There were some points that were summarized but not explained, so occasionally it was confusing. Some videos were not beginner friendly. Some of the videos were fantastic.
Here is a fantastic resource:
I haven't gone through all of it. I know some systems thinking work I have seen in the past has had conservative bias from people who can't truly follow the spirit of systems thinking or understand their own paradigms- I don't know if any work such as that is found on this website.
Here is a notes list for you to copy and paste, followed by my own notes.
Archetypes:
Balancing feedback loop:
Bounded rationality:
Dynamic equilibrium:
Dynamics:
Feedback loop:
Flow:
Hierarchy:
Limiting factor:
Linear relationship:
Nonlinear relationship:
Reinforcing feedback loop:
Resilience:
Self-organization:
Shifting dominance:
Stock:
Suboptimization:
System:
Did not do Summary of System Principles.
Systems
Stocks, Flows, and Dynamic Equilibrium
Feedback loops
Shifting dominance, Delays, and Oscilations
Scenarios and testing models
Constraints on systems
Resilience, Self Organization, and Hierarchy
Source of System Surprises
Mindsets and Models
System Traps
Policy Resistance
Trap:
Way Out:
Tragedy of Commons
Trap:
Way Out:
Drift to Low Performance:
Trap:
Way Out:
Escalation:
Trap:
Way Out:
Success to the Successful:
Trap:
Way Out:
Shifting Burden to Intervener:
Trap:
Way Out:
Rule Beating:
Trap:
Way Out:
Seeking the Wrong Goal:
Places to intervene in a system: (in increasing order of effectiveness) (12 is the least effective)
12. Numbers
11. Buffers
10. Stock-and-flow Structures
9. Delays
8. Balancing Feedback Loops
7. Reinforcing Feedback Loops
6. Information Flows
5. Rules
4. Self organization
3. Goals
2. Paradigms
1.Transcending Paradigms
Did not do Guidelines for living in a world of systems
Did not do Model Equations.
ARTICLE
(Draft)
Black is simple fact, green is for progress, red for regression
Archetypes: Common system structures. Ex, common family dynamics.
Balancing feedback loop: output counteracts behavior. Equilibrium. Goal is to keep going back to a certain level. (ex.work to have enough money, drink coffee to have enough energy)
Bounded rationality: The limits to rational decisions- based on information and mental capacity available
Dynamic equilibrium: when stocks size doesn’t change because inflows equal outflows.
Dynamics: (self explanatory)
Feedback loop: regulation (ex. regulating emotion)
Flow: These are changes to stock. Material or information that enters or leaves a stock
Hierarchy: (self-explanatory) Subsystems in systems.
Limiting factor: (self-explanatory) the highest piece that limits activity; can make changes up to reality (ex. Limited time)
Linear relationship: cause and effect have the same results, it’s simple.
Nonlinear relationship: cause and effect have different results, it’s complicated- life is complicated. Lots of mistakes are made when people think about life linearly
Reinforcing feedback loop: Output amplifies behavior Vicious Cycles/Virtuous Cycles
Resilience: Ability to bounce back to outside changes
Self-organization: Ability for a system to learn from and structure itself (ex. citizen-lead solutions)
Shifting dominance: When one system takes over another
Stock: Nouns. People, places, and things.
Suboptimization:
System: A set of elements that is organized and connected in a pattern/structure that makes behaviors for a purpose
Did not do Summary of System Principles.
Systems
Stocks, Flows, and Dynamic Equilibrium
Feedback loops
Shifting dominance, Delays, and Oscilations
Scenarios and testing models
Constraints on systems
Resilience, Self Organization, and Hierarchy
Source of System Surprises
Mindsets and Models
System Traps
Policy Resistance
Trap: (Self explanatory)
Way Out: Be willing to let go of policy for something better. & Find mutual solutions for everyone. Yes, and yes, and yes, and…
Tragedy of Commons
Trap: A resource is abused. Ex. environment.
Way Out: Education. & Make each user feel the consequence of it’s abuse.
Drift to Low Performance: They stopped, so why should I keep going?
Trap:
Way Out: Make performance standards the same, or enhance standards. (Ex. how performers compete)
Escalation: Arms race.
Trap:
Way Out: Prevention. Refusal to Compete. Negotiate a new system with balancing loops.
Success to the Successful:
Trap: ex. Billionaires
Way Out: Diversify- make your own game. Limit how much anyone can win.(antitrust laws?) level the playing field
Shifting Burden to Intervener:
Trap: A solution addresses a symptom and covers up the root cause. Interferes with systemic solutions. Vicious cycle causes the system to erode.
Way Out: Prevention. Work on root cause solutions. Awareness- identify the difference between symptom relieving and root cause solutions.
As an intervenor- work on system self organization, then remove yourself.
As a dependent- build your own systems capabilities before removing intervention. ASAP- longer waiting, the longer the withdrawal process.
Rule Beating: ex. Malicious compliance, for lawful evil or neutral
Trap:
Way Out: State the rules purpose and allow creativity for the purpose, but not for malicious compliance.
Seeking the Wrong Goal:
Trap: This is “careful what you wish for” or “why didn’t that work?” it’s usually the goal of a feedback loop, not the system.
Way Out: Make goals based on the system with indicators. Make goals about results, not efforts, since efforts don’t always lead to the desired result.
Places to intervene in a system: (in increasing order of effectiveness) (12 is the least effective)
12. Numbers: subsidies, taxes, standards
11. Buffers: sizes of stocks to their flows
10. Stock-and-flow Structures
9. Delays: lengths of time for system changes (ex.we’ll make climate change measures in 2040)
8. Balancing Feedback Loops
7. Reinforcing Feedback Loops
6. Information Flows: what, how, where, and when people know information
5. Rules: incentives, punishments, limits (ex.laws & policies)
4. Self organization: ability to evolve the system
3. Goals: the purpose of the system, even if it is not stated
2. Paradigms: mindset that everything is based on
1.Transcending Paradigms: ability to identify mindsets and understand not one is most superior; including your own
Did not do Guidelines for living in a world of systems
(there’s 15)
Did not do Model Equations.
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