Systems Archetypes

Overview

Systems archetypes (Peter Senge, "The Fifth Discipline") are recurring structural patterns. Like design patterns in software, once you recognize one you can predict where it leads and where to intervene. Most stubborn, recurring problems aren't unique—they're an instance of a known pattern, and the pattern names the leverage point.

Core Principle: A recurring problem usually has a structural pattern. Match the pattern and the intervention follows.

Trigger Card

When the same problem keeps recurring despite multiple fixes:

1. Describe the problem neutrally — symptoms, what's been tried, what keeps coming back.
2. Match to an archetype using the Quick Reference Card below (Fixes That Fail, Shifting the Burden, Limits to Growth, Tragedy of the Commons, Escalation, Success to the Successful, Growth and Underinvestment).
3. Intervene at the structure, not the symptom — use the Key Question for that archetype.

If no archetype fits after a genuine look, don't force one — drop to thinking-systems and map from scratch. For a first-time one-off problem, just fix it.

When to Use