Systems Innovation
Map the System
…to visualize connections between loops
The next step in Systems Innovation is to map your system.
To begin, view all of your loops, and decide which loop should serve as your deep structure or develop a new, more basic loop that includes all the fundamental themes. All other loops should be able to attach to the deep structure loop or attach to a loop that attaches to the deep structure.
below is an example of loops having to do with college student engagement.
2 . To map your system, begin with your deep structure (in orange below), and begin adding your essential loops to create a Minimum Viable Map (MVM). An MVM requires you to focus on what is the minimum detail you need to take an initial, responsible action, knowing that you will further develop your map with each step you take.
3. Feel free to add other nodes that are not loops but important components of the system
An example student engagement map is shown below.
Key nodes are indicated in gold.
4. Make sure you can tell the key points of your system narrative using your system map as a visual aid.
Systems Narrative
Once you have a Minimum Viable Map, narrate the stories that the map represents. Consider if there are other stories/narratives that are important in the system and add elements as needed until all important components of the narrative are included.
kumu.io provides tools to create a presentation from your systems map. See https://docs.kumu.io/guides/presentations for details.
You are ready to move on to the next step of Systems Innovation: Identify and Apply Leverage.
or choose from the below options.
Systems Innovation > Framing > Forces > Loops > Map > Levers