Systems Thinking — Seeing the Whole

Map feedback loops and find leverage points in any complex system

Most problems are symptoms of system structure. Systems Thinking teaches you to map feedback loops, identify reinforcing and balancing dynamics, and find leverage points — places where a small change produces large systemic effects.

Framework: Causal Loop Diagrams + Meadows' Leverage Points

Systems Thinking uses Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) to visualise how variables in a system influence each other over time. Donella Meadows' Leverage Points framework then identifies where in the system structure you can intervene most effectively.

Capstone Project: Map a Business System

Draw a causal loop diagram for a SaaS company experiencing declining retention despite increasing marketing spend. Identify the top two leverage points and explain why conventional interventions are making the problem worse.

Course Details

Duration: 3 hours

Level: intermediate

Category: Problem Solving

Course Curriculum — 6 Modules

  1. Events vs Patterns vs Structure — The Iceberg Model

    See below the surface of problems to find system structure.

    Duration: 25 minutes

    Includes: Quiz

  2. Causal Loop Diagrams

    Draw the feedback loops that drive system behaviour.

    Duration: 30 minutes

    Includes: Quiz

  3. Reinforcing and Balancing Loops

    Understand the two fundamental loop types and their dynamics.

    Duration: 25 minutes

    Includes: Quiz

  4. Finding Leverage Points

    Meadows' 12 places to intervene in a system.

    Duration: 30 minutes

    Includes: Quiz

  5. System Archetypes

    Recognise the 10 most common system traps.

    Duration: 20 minutes

    Includes: Quiz

  6. Capstone: Map a Business System

    Draw a CLD for a declining SaaS company and find leverage points.

    Duration: 20 minutes

    Includes: Quiz

Enroll now at Framework First Academy to learn Systems Thinking — Seeing the Whole through structured frameworks and real-world projects.