Project Brief: The System Intervention Blueprint

Module: 2: The Strategist's Toolkit: Seeing the Future with Foresight & Systems Thinking Lesson: 2: Deconstructing Complexity: Wielding the Power of Systems Thinking

1. Objective

Your objective is to apply the powerful lens of Systems Thinking to a real-world "wicked problem." You will move beyond simplistic, linear solutions to create a visual systems map that reveals the hidden structures and feedback loops driving the problem. Most importantly, you will identify high-leverage intervention points where a small, well-placed change could create a significant, positive impact on the entire system.

2. The Challenge

Choose one of the following complex "wicked problems" as the focus for your analysis:

• The Fast Fashion Industry: (Consider its impact on labor, waste, consumer behavior, and the environment).
• Urban Housing Affordability: (Consider factors like supply, demand, regulation, transportation, and income inequality).
• Social Media Misinformation: (Consider the roles of algorithms, user psychology, platform business models, and political polarization).

3. Your Task

You will create a visual systems map and a corresponding intervention blueprint for your chosen wicked problem. Your goal is to demonstrate that you can see the problem not as a simple cause-and-effect chain, but as a dynamic, interconnected system. You will then use this understanding to propose intelligent, non-obvious interventions.

4. Key Requirements

Your blueprint must include two parts:

Part 1: The Systems Map

This should be a visual diagram. You can create it using Mermaid syntax directly in Markdown (e.g., graph TD A-->B), or you can create it in a design tool (like Figma or Miro) and embed an image. The map must identify:

1. Key Elements/Stakeholders: Who are the main actors in this system? (e.g., for Fast Fashion: Consumers, Brands, Factory Workers, Governments, etc.).
2. Critical Stocks and Flows: What is accumulating or moving through the system? (e.g., for Fast Fashion: Stock of clothing in landfills, Flow of new garments produced).
3. At least two Feedback Loops: You must identify and map at least one Reinforcing Loop and one Balancing Loop that are driving the system's behavior. For each loop, you must explain how it works.
   • Example for Fast Fashion (Reinforcing Loop): Low Prices -> More Consumption -> More Production -> Economies of Scale -> Lower Prices.

Part 2: The Intervention Blueprint

This is a written analysis that accompanies your map. It must contain:

1. A Brief Description of the Loops: Explain in plain language the feedback loops you have identified and how they contribute to the wicked problem.
2. Three Potential Intervention Points: Based on your map, identify three potential "leverage points" where an intervention could shift the system's behavior. For each intervention, you must:
   • Identify the Leverage Point: Where in the system are you intervening? (e.g., "Breaking the 'More Consumption' link in the reinforcing loop").
   • Propose a Specific Intervention: What is the actual action? (e.g., "A government-led campaign to celebrate and normalize wearing clothes for longer").
   • Explain the Intended Impact: How do you expect this intervention to ripple through the system and change its overall behavior?

5. Format and Deliverable

• Format: A single, well-structured Markdown document.
• Deliverable: A .md file named Systems_Blueprint.md. You can create the systems map using a tool like Mermaid syntax, or or create it in a design tool and embed an image.

7. Tips for Success

• Iterate Your Map: Your first systems map will not be perfect. Draw it, critique it, and refine it. The process of mapping is as important as the final map itself.
• Look for Non-Obvious Interventions: The most effective leverage points are often counter-intuitive. Don't just propose solutions that address the symptoms; look for interventions that change the underlying structure of the system.
• Focus on the "Why": For each intervention, clearly explain why you believe it will work and how it will impact the feedback loops you've identified.
• Keep it Simple: While systems can be complex, your map and explanation should be as clear and concise as possible.

6. Evaluation Criteria

Your blueprint will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Systems Analysis (50%):
  • How accurately and insightfully did you map the system's elements, interconnections, and purpose?
  • Is your identification and explanation of the reinforcing and balancing feedback loops clear and correct?
  • Does the map effectively reveal the underlying structure of the wicked problem?
• Strategic Intervention (40%):
  • Are your proposed interventions creative, non-obvious, and targeted at high-leverage points in the system?
  • Is your explanation of their intended impact logical, well-reasoned, and does it consider potential ripple effects?
  • Do your interventions demonstrate a deep understanding of the system's dynamics?
• Clarity of Communication (10%):
  • Is your systems map clear, easy to understand, and visually effective?
  • Is your written analysis concise, well-structured, and free of jargon?
  • Does the overall blueprint effectively communicate your insights and recommendations?