Causal Loop Diagram is a relationship modeling technique used to capture understanding and overcome individual limitations. It involves representing entities and their influences on one another with simple diagrams. There are two main types of loops that can emerge from these diagrams: reinforcing loops that drive growth and balancing loops that represent goal seeking behavior. Causal loop diagrams are qualitative rather than quantitative representations intended to provide insight into the dynamics of a system through visualizing the relationships and feedbacks between elements.

1. Causal Loop Diagram
Relationship Modeling
Introduction

2. Relationship Modeling
• Capture understanding
• Overcome individual limitations
• Qualitative in nature

3. Intent of this Video
• Understand elements
• Alternative notation
• Notation short comings
• Preferred notation
• Develop a Causal Loop Diagram

4. Elements
• Entity – non negative noun or noun phrase
• Influence – relationship between entities
• Simplest CLD – 2 entities + 1 influence

5. Notation

6. Notation Resolution
• Variables
• Instantaneous & Accumulators (Stock)
• Differentiate the two
• Rectangles for Stocks

7. Causal Loop Diagram
Loops & Loops

8. Growth Loop

9. Goal Seeking Loop

10. Emergence
• Properties arising from interactions

11. Additional Thoughts
• Telling Loops - count the “-” signs
• Odd number is a balancing loop
• Even number is a reinforcing loop
• Delay – use || or delay on the line
• Qualitative only, not quantitative
• See Stock & Flow Diagram Video

12. Systems Thinking World
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