ALED 342/ALEC 609 INFO

ALED 342/ALEC 609 INFO • 4/09 LEARNING COMM REFLECTION DUE • 4/21 APP 4 DUE • 4/21 LEADER “E” EVAL DUE • EXAM #2 • Add Part 1 points + Part 2 points + Part 3 points = your score out of 250 points possible • Class average = 84%

Systems Thinking ALED 342/ALEC 609 Dr. Chris Townsend Texas A&M University

Systems Thinking:Formal Definition • A way of thinking about and a language for describing and understanding the forces and interrelationship that shape the behavior of systems. This discipline helps change organizations in relation to the forces within and surrounding the organization. • WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?????????

Systems Thinking: How your actions shape current reality • A framework, a blue print • A way to enhance quality of thinking and decision-making

¼ C butter ¾ C “crisco” 2 eggs ¾ C brown sugar ¾ C sugar 1 ½ C flour 1 t baking soda 1 t salt 2 t water 1 t vanilla ½ bag chips 1 C oats A recipe is a framework to enhance qualityChocolate chip/oatmeal cookies What happens if you forget the sugar?

Systems Thinking: How your actions shape current reality • See the “whole” organization • See the interrelationships • Distinguish important data & complex patterns that affect outcomes

Systems Thinking Analysis StepsAPPLICATION 4 • LINKS: arrows that represent influence from one element to another • Links show cause and effect Cause Effect

Links Made Simple: • Draw how an event influences another part of the system Number of StudentsClass Size

“Loops” • Links are connected • Connection is a circle • Circle demonstrates “causality” • Events can be both cause and effect

LINKS to LOOPS • Draw events within a system • Turn LINK into a circle • Use arrows to show how each event influences the next one Number of Students Class Size

LOOPS made simple: • Now “read” what the loop says: • First ½ : When more students are admitted, classes get larger • Second ½: When classes get larger, more students are admitted • So, what happens to the SYSTEM? The cause/effect continues…over and over again Class Size Number of Students

“CAUSAL” LOOPS • Add more detail to indicate type of INFLUENCE • Add an “O” to indicate OPPOSITE effect • Add an “S” to indicate SAME effect Number of Students Class size

CREATE A CAUSAL LOOP • When student #’s go UP, class size goes UP (S) • When class size goes UP, student #’s go DOWN (O) S “variable” “variable” Students Class size O

Corn Production O S Market Price Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram

Causal Loop Interpretation: What does it say? “O=opposite influence” Layoffs O O “variable” Performance Employee Confidence O O Anxiety

Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram Layoffs O O Performance Employee Confidence O O Anxiety

Consumer Demand for Organic Food O S Cost to Consumer New Products S S Market Price Production O Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram

2 Types of Loops • Balancing • Reinforcing

Reinforcing Loops • Generate exponential growth or great collapse • Influences go “up,” means things are great • Influences go “down,” means a vicious downward cycle

Balancing Loops • Influences are be self-correcting • Organization does not “spin” out of control • Stops a run away downward reinforcing loop

Determining Balancing vs. Reinforcing • Balancing = odd # of O’s • Reinforcing = no O’s or even # O’s • COUNT THEM & SEE IF IT WORKS!

Corn Production O B S Market Price Causal Loop: Telling your story with a diagram

Layoffs O O R Performance Employee Confidence O O Anxiety

Learning Reinforcement • In your Learning Community, diagram an organizational situation with a causal loop • Create a causal loop • Must have at least 4 variables • Label the influences ( O or S) • Label as a “B” Balancing or “R” Reinforcing Loop • Post on the wall when you are complete • View other LCs’ loops • Complete Application #4 DUE 4/21/08

ALED 342/ALEC 609 INFO