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System map

This method uses systems analysis and systems thinking approach to improve a group’s understanding of the relationships between various aspects related to the topic that the group is working on.

What is
System map
about ?

What is

System map

about ?

What is this Method about ?

This method is based on a systems thinking approach to problems. It is particularly useful in the case of sustainability since dealing with modern global problems always involves complexity. Systemic approaches helps to see a bigger picture and understand the connections among environmental, social and economic aspects, creating the possibility to not compromise any of them while planning problem resolution.

Where does this Method come from ?

Original Source Details

The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization (Peter Senge 1990) The method is part of the AtKisson Group VISIS tools - Pyramid workshop

Audience

Is participant experience relevant for System map ?

Ideally, participants are workshop junkies

Requirements

Number of Facilitators :

The number of facilitators depends on the group size, 2 facilitators up to 20 participants; if it is possible it is good to have one facilitator per team.

Location requirements

Not specifically

Run Through

Prep Work (excluding materials)

Depending on the size of the group you are working with you can divide the people into teams of 4-8 participants, 5 being the ideal number. Each group should have a comfortable table to sit around with a piece (or two pieces stuck together) of flipchart paper, post-its in a few colours, and markers in several colours. Pencils and an eraser might also be useful.

Pre Exercise

Steps

The main challenge

Ask your participants to write the problem/challenge that they are working on in the middle of the flipchart paper. You can also have each group work on a specific aspect of the given challenge. At the beginning of the exercise you can decide together on the aspects to be analysed or you can prepare them in advance, depending on the specifics of the workshop.

The causes

Ask each of the teams to brainstorm the most important things that are the causes of the problem. They write all the causes down, one cause per post-it.

The causes of the causes

The teams think of the causes of these causes in the previous step and write those on the post-its. At the same time they should try to arrange the post-its into a system/mental map of relations looking for the causal relation not only between the central challenge/problem and the causes but also between them. You can go one step further depending on the time and topic you are working with.

The effects

Ask the teams to brainstorm the most important effects of the central problem as in the previous steps.

The effects of the effects

Finally ask the team to write down the effects of the effects. Each of variables is written on a separate post-it. The teams discuss the relationships between all the variables and try to draw a systems map making the most important connections. This work helps the group to get a better understanding of all the aspects of the problem that could have a crucial influence on the success of the solutions undertaken to solve it.

Harvest

Ask the teams to look at their maps and find the places in their system that could be the best for intervention - where the intervention could be effective, feasible and meaningful for the team. This is a good step to design the projects and solutions that help change the system and solve the problem.

Material for

Additional Material Description

-flipchart paper (minimum 2 pieces per team)
-colour markers (3 colours each group)
-colour post-its
-pencils
-eraser

Additional Resources Description

Create materials with tender, love and care in : 5 min

Create materials quick and dirty in : 5 min

author(s)

OF THIS method

ERASMUS +

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. Find more information about the program and its goals here: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/.

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Creative Commons license:

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