Our actions are based on our beliefs and the results of those actions are the basis for our beliefs. The difficulty we create for ourselves is that we make assumptions as to how to interpret the results we select based on our beliefs. As a result we are often operating on a flawed perspective of reality.

What do activities of these images have in common?

Demo of population growth with distinct agents.

The Button primitive enables you to write JavaScript code that controls various aspects of the model via the Insight Maker API.

The delays associated with adjusting the shower is a very common example of the Balancing Loop with Delay Systems Archetype. 

Use a bathtub model to investigate the manner in which inflows and outflows govern the quantity of a stock. Extend the structure to create and investigate the relationships of a goal seeking balancing loop.

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The strategy is actually a set of structural changes that have to be made to the relationships that cause the future to be different than the past.

The issue of increasing private and government debt to banks is a major concern after the financial crisis of 2008 (see Figure at link given below). In order to understand why our society and government is increasingly indebted to banks we need to understand how our current money system works and why we need a continuous infusion of new money in a growing economy. “Why We Are Increasingly Indebted To Banks?” investigates the reasons behind this and suggest a possible solution.

This is a template which one might use as a basis for creating Insight Maker Relationship models. Links have default style of the blue ones in the diagram. The easiest way to get the red dashed links is to CTRL+d to duplicate them and then connect where appropriate.

A map of the elements associated with Systems Thinking as defined by different sources.

​Example of using a Macro as a counter. See the comment on Counter for a definition of the Macro then run the simulation to see the counter in action.

Examples of Systems.

While all things are related for a particular situation all things are not relevant. We need to develop a simplified model of reality which depicts those interactions which are responsible for the patterns of behavior and current situation. We want the simplest model which enables the requisite understanding. This is no easy task though.

OK, we have a problem. Yet, do we really know what the problem is? More often than not we look at the symptoms, consider them the problem and attempt to fix them. This actually dooms us to failure because they're only symptoms.

All the insights you create will be with components from the Add Primitive menu and they will be connected together with Flows/Transitions or Links.

This Savings Model is the third in the series. It illustrates the difference in savings over time for a doctor or for a skilled worker who went to a trade school.

• Traditional Career Model
• Loan Cost Model

A number of questions considered relative to Systems Thinking.

Are there environmental/physical limits to humanity? Based on the Are There Limits? blog post by Tom Fiddaman.

A random walk demonstration using an ABM. As individuals drink more they become more intoxicated and their walk becomes more random. And when they drink to much it finally kills them.

There are a number of habits that one should practice to improve their Systems Thinking skills.

Diagram from a paper by James B. Rieley entitled "The Euro Financial Crisis: Making Sense of the Mess".

There are things we can influence and usually a broader array of things we are concerned about though can't influence. It's important to know the differerence otherwise we waste our energies trying to change things we have no influence over. 

The model construction process is actually a balancing loop which endeavors to employ an abstract version of real events to form a model which produces conclusions and behavior which mimic the real events.

Example of the exponential decay of a Stock with the decay rate being a function of a decay constant.

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