Causal Loop Diagrams: A key tool for Systems Thinking & Practice

Kerry Turner
08 Julio 2019

Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) are a useful tool in the kitbag of any systems practiotioner. They are used to make our mental models explicit so they can be shared, challenged and understood.  CLDs enable us to capture the parts, connections and feedback in a system. They can be used to build consensus, agree definitions, identify leverage points and explore consequences of potential interventions. They enable us to share our ideas and communicate our understanding of a system to others clearly and powerfully.

The workshop will introduce the concept of a CLD and explore how the diagrams can be developed and used both individually and in teams. There will be the opportunity to practice developing causal loop diagrams from documents and from observed systems. Participants are encouraged to bring a problem/idea they would like to explore with this approach.

Kerry Turner is passionate about understanding and improving systems. She acquired her skills in systems thinking during her career as a management consultant. She has applied it to a wide range of business problems for organisations around the world. For the last decade she has applied systems thinking to every aspect of her life including horsemanship, swimming, relationships, home economics and health. She has also worked with small organisations who share her values.