Causal Loop Diagrams Software Free
Chart and Diagram Slides for PowerPoint - Beautifully designed chart and diagram s for PowerPoint with visually stunning graphics and animation effects. Our new CrystalGraphics Chart and Diagram Slides for PowerPoint is a collection of over 1000 impressively designed data-driven chart and editable diagram s guaranteed to impress any audience. A causal loop diagram (CLD) is a causal diagram that aids in visualizing how different variables in a system are interrelated. The diagram consists of a set of nodes and edges. Nodes represent the variables and edges are the links that represent a connection or a relation between the two variables. There are not many particularly good programs out there for this purpose. I have settled on using Vensim by Ventana Systems. It is used for system dynamics modeling, but it has mapping capability that is easy enough to use that I do it live in onl.
Causal Loop Diagrams Software Free Pdf
The old adage, “if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail” can also apply to language. If our language is linear and static, we will tend to view and interact with our world as if it were linear and static. Taking a complex, dynamic, and circular world and linearizing it into a set of snapshots may make things seem simpler, but we may totally misread the very reality we were seeking to understand. Making such in appropriate simplifications “is like putting on your brakes and then looking at your speedometer to see how fast you were going,” says Bill Isaacs of the MIT Center for Organizational Learning. Articulating Reality Causal loop diagrams provide a language for articulating our understanding of the dynamic, interconnected nature of our world. We can think of them as sentences which are constructed by linking together key variables and indicating the causal relationships between them. By stringing together several loops, we can create a coherent story about a particular problem or issue.
The next page includes some suggestions on the mechanics of creating causal loop diagrams. Below are some more general guidelines that should help lead you through the process:.
Theme Selection. Creating causal loop diagrams is not an end unto itself, but part of a process of articulating and communicating deeper insights about complex issues. It is pointless to begin creating a causal loop diagram without having selected a theme or issue that you wish to understand better.
“To understand the implications of changing from a technology-driven to a marketing-oriented strategy,” for example, is a better theme than “To better understand our strategic planning process.”. Time Horizon. It is also helpful to determine an appropriate time horizon for the issue — one long enough to see the dynamics play out. For a change in corporate strategy the time horizon may span several years, while a change in advertising campaigns may be on the order of months.
Time itself should not be included as a causal agent, however. After a heavy rainfall a river level steadily rises overtime, but we would not attribute it to the passage of time. You need to identify what is actual driving the change. In computer chips, $/MIPS million instructions per second) have been decreasing in a straight line over the past decade. It would be incorrect, however, to draw a causal connection between time and $/MIPS. Instead, increasing investments and learning curve effects are likely causal forces.
Behavior Over Time Charts. Identifying and drawing out the behavior over time of key variables is an important first step toward articulating the current understanding of the system. Drawing out future behavior means taking a risk — the risk of being wrong. The fact is, any projection of the future will be wrong, but by making it explicit, we can test our assumptions and uncover inconsistencies that may otherwise never get surfaced.
For example, drawing projections of steady productivity growth while training dollars are shrinking raises the question “If training is not driving our growth, what will?” The behavior over time diagram also points out key variables that should be included in the diagram, such as Training Budget and Productivity. Your diagram should try to capture the structure that will produce the projected behavior. Boundary Issue. How do you know when to stop adding to your diagram? If you don’t stay focused on the issue, you may quickly find yourself overwhelmed by the number of connections possible. Remember, you are not trying to draw out the whole system – only what is critical to the theme being addressed.
When in doubt about including something, ask “If I were to double or halve this variable, would it have a significant effect on the issue I am mapping?” If not, it probably can be omitted. Level of Aggregation. How detailed should the diagram be? Again, the level should be determined by the issue itself. The time horizon also can help determine how detailed the variables need to be. If the time horizon is on the order of weeks (fluctuations on the production line), variables that change slowly over a period of many years may be assumed to be constant(such as building new factories).
As a rule of thumb, the variables should not describe specific events (a broken pump); they should represent patterns of behavior (pump breakdowns throughout the plant). Significant Delays. Make sure to identify which (if any) links have significant delays relative to the rest of the diagram. Delays are important because they are often the source of imbalances that accumulate in the system.
It may help to visualize pressures building up in the system by viewing the delay connection as a relief valve that either opens slowly as pressure builds or opens abruptly when the pressure hits a critical value. An example of this might be a delay between long work hours and burnout: after sustained periods of working 60+ hours per week, a sudden collapse might occur in the form of burnout.
TOOL BOX: GUIDELINES FOR DRAWING CAUSAL LOOP DIAGRAMS.
Although a systems model could be expressed in text, it is often depicted graphically. Below are some tools that are available for drawing systems models. Prices shown are approximate and for you reference in reviewing the options. ISI does not sell these products, although for your convenience you can link to where you can buy them. Concept Mapping Tools These tools were designed for concept maps but can also draw good network diagrams and causal loop diagrams. FREE.
Easy to use. Limited to basic shapes and lines between them. Lines can be named and have different curves. Can export common graphic files to paste into other programs. CMAP Chart Website: (Download Version Available) $69. Easy to use. Allows labeling of lines and using different line shapes.
Large number of other graphics and icons that can be inserted to make models more interesting. Can export common graphic files to paste into other programs Drawing Tools The following products are drawing or presenting packages. They offer a more complete set of drawing features and can make not only causal loop diagrams and concept maps, but also things like functional drawings, organizational drawings, flow charts. $430. A full drawing package that can do landscapes, flow charts, mindmaps, home drawings, electrical drawings, etc. Can export common graphic files to paste into other programs Website: $212.
A full drawing package that can do landscapes, flow charts, mindmaps, home drawings, electrical drawings, etc. Can export common graphic files to paste into other pograms Microsoft Powerpoint $449.
A presentation package, but can make some drawings. Can export common graphic files to paste into other pograms Posted under.