Systems Thinking

Apply systems thinking to [situation/problem]:

THE SYSTEM:
[Describe what you're analyzing]

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS:
1. BOUNDARIES
   - What's in the system? What's environment?
   - How do you know where to draw the lines?

2. COMPONENTS
   - What are the key elements?
   - How do they interact?

3. DYNAMICS
   - What feedback loops exist (reinforcing and balancing)?
   - Where are delays in the system?
   - What behaviors emerge from the structure?

4. LEVERAGE POINTS
   - Where could small changes have large effects?
   - What interventions typically fail and why?

5. MENTAL MODELS
   - What mental models do people use to understand this system?
   - Where do those models fail?

Reason through this carefully. Systems thinking requires seeing patterns that aren't obvious.