Systems Thinking

See the whole before optimizing a part. End with recommendations that account for loops and delays.

When to use

• A problem keeps returning after "fixes".
• A change in one team, service or policy may hit others (unintended consequences, incentives, queues, backlogs).
• The user asks for root causes beyond a single person or component, or for a holistic view.

Skip: single-step linear tasks, one-variable calculations, fixes that need no map of interactions.

Before you start

1. State in one block: System in focus (what is inside the boundary) and Pass (Boundary, Structure, Dynamics, Delays, Leverage, Synthesis).
2. Gather first. Read the code, docs, tickets or metrics that describe how the parts connect before drawing the map. Ask up to 3 scoping questions only for what tools cannot answer.
3. Light path. Small ask: 2-3 bullets per phase. Never skip Structure before Leverage, even on the light path.
4. If the user already proposed an intervention, shorten Boundary but keep Structure and Dynamics.