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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

A skill & tool related to System Thinking are Causal Loop Diagrams. To date I’ve never seen anything that quite does as well at demonstrating some of the paradoxical outcomes in some systems. Here is an example of Tragedy of the Commons (though it is more effective animated):

2/9/2019, 9:10:24 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

When I was faculty in the MBA for Sustainable Systems at BGI/Pinchot/Presidio, the students had had extensive training in use of causal loop diagramming & analysis. I’ve not found any full tutorials online but there is a good into at https://systemsandus.com/2012/08/15/learn-to-read-clds/

2/9/2019, 9:20:25 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

This is a causal loop diagram by Army Staff on the Afghan conflict. Gen. McChrystal joked "When we understand that slide, we’ll have won the war", and since has been labeled "worst powerpoint slide". However, as I know CLDs, I actually find it powerful. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/27powerpoint.html

2/9/2019, 9:34:03 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

I would really like to see the blockchain mechanism/incentive design communities, as well as the decentralized governance communities learn causal loop diagramming. As these can be incredibly complex systems with non-linear or even paradoxical effects, CLDs can help spot them.

2/9/2019, 9:37:06 PM

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