The problem with microworlds is that too often people simply learn to play the game and the deeper lessons associated with the underlying structure and its associated patterns of behavior are completely missed. It is more appropriate for people to build and work with models to develop a deeper understanding of the relationships and then relate them to family, community, school and the world.

Developing a strategy for dealing with a situation begins with a description of the situation and the preferred state for today, not in some distant future, and the perceived implications of not doing anything.

One of the four basic model forms presented by Hannon & Ruth in Dynamic Modeling.

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An escalation structure results from two or more competing entities with the competition taking them to somewhere none of them want to be. See also Archetypes.

Video

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An infinite number of mathematicians walk into a bar. The first one tells the bartender he wants a beer. The second one says he wants half a beer. The third one says he wants a fourth of a beer. The bartender puts two beers on the bar and says “You guys need to learn your limits.” From Wild About Math.

While it's rather straight forward to invest money in places that generate interest over time why isn't that more of us don't do that and become rich?

A system is an entity that the existence of which is maintained via the mutual interaction of its parts and which demonstrates characteristics not exhibited by any of its parts.

Causal loop diagrams are more rigorous than rich pictures though are still only contain a very few elements with well defined rules for connecting them.

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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.

When the typical approach doesn't work we tend to rely on our tried and true problem solving approaches, which as you will see really aren't that good.

Model in support of an article being written about Investment vs Austerity.

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Simple reinforcing loop causal loop diagram.

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Population Growth in an Agrarian Society with the addition of Deaths and Food Consumption.

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The three common recurring structures.

The Flipping a Coin insight computes and display the cumulative results of flipping a coin for 1,000 flips.

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Model supporting research of investment vs. austerity implications. Please refer to Modern Money & Public Purpose Video.

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From reading Why Politics Makes Us Stupid by Ezra Klein I though I had discovered a new archetype though it's really just a simple reinforcing structure, or so it seems.

A description of the essence and limitations of analysis.

This model introduces the S/O and +/- notation for depicting the relations that might exist between two elements along with why the +/- notation is preferred.

This structure show the potential benefit from the development of a knowledgebase to support performance. With this potential benefit why is it so difficult for it to happen. What loops might be missing here.

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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 simple diet SFD simulation elaborated to indlcue calories, calorie reduction and metabolism.

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It's now time for the stakeholders to take the investigation resulting from leverage and craft a strategy which will address the current situation in a manner that is beneficial to the whole system.