Be the person who untangles messy problems and delivers results that stick.

Most teams treat problems like leaks in a pipe — find the hole, patch it, move on. However, in today’s interconnected, high-stakes environment, those “fixes” often create new leaks elsewhere.

Systems Thinking flips that approach. Instead of reacting to symptoms, you’ll learn to map the whole system — the people, processes, incentives, and feedback loops — so you can uncover the real drivers of outcomes. This framework distils the timeless principles of systems thinkers like Donella Meadows and Peter Senge into a clear, actionable process you can run in a week or less.

With ShipBuddy’s guided steps, AI-powered mapping tools, and ready-to-use templates, you’ll see patterns others miss, find leverage points where small changes unlock big results, and pressure-test your interventions before committing resources. The result? Less firefighting. More lasting impact.

Who this is for

Managers, product leaders, operations leads, and internal consultants who face cross‑functional problems where “fixes” keep backfiring: project bottlenecks, customer churn, quality drift, team misalignment, change fatigue, policy trade‑offs.

Outcomes you can expect

• Clarity: Map the moving parts, feedback loops, and hidden constraints behind your challenge.
• Leverage: Identify 2–3 high‑impact interventions with clear upstream/downstream effects.
• Confidence: Pressure‑test options using simple scenarios before committing resources.
• Alignment: Bring stakeholders together to share a shared view of the system, reducing resistance.
• Momentum: Turn insights into a 30–60‑day action plan with leading indicators.

What you’ll produce

• A clean System Snapshot: a 1‑page view of drivers, loops, and leverage points.
• A Causal Loop Diagram + Stakeholder Map tailored to your context.
• A short Leverage Brief: problem framing, 2–3 interventions, risks, and metrics.
• A 90‑day Learning Plan with experiments, guardrails, and feedback cadences.

What’s inside (at a glance)

• Field‑tested process in 5 Moves (15 steps), you can run solo or with a team.
• Templates & tear sheets: boundary canvas, 5 Whys tree, loop checklist, scenario cards, metrics matrix.
• AI copilot embedded throughout for rapid mapping, analogy finding, option generation, and pre‑mortems.
• Case patterns library: 12 common leverage patterns (e.g., "tighten the feedback", "shift the goal", "buffer the stock").
• Reading notes: distilled ideas from Donella Meadows and Peter Senge—made practical.

The Process (5 Moves)

Move 1 — Frame the System (See before you solve)

1. Define the Boundary: What’s in/out? Time horizon? Decision rights?
   • Deliverable: Boundary Canvas.
   • AI assist: “Given this challenge, propose three boundary options and trade‑offs.”
2. Surface Signals & Symptoms: Events vs. patterns over time.
   • Deliverable: Timeline of key events; pattern sketch.
3. Stakeholder Map: Roles, incentives, frictions, information flow.
   • Deliverable: Influence–Interest grid + info pathways.

Move 2 — Trace Causes (Stop treating symptoms)

1. 5 Whys Tree: Push past proximate causes to structural drivers.
2. Stocks & Flows Draft: What accumulates? What changes it? (work‑in‑process, trust, backlog, cash, churn drivers, etc.)
3. Causal Loops (R/B): Map reinforcing (R) and balancing (B) loops; note delays.
   • Deliverable: First‑pass CLD annotated with data you have vs. assumptions.
   • AI assist: “Suggest 3 plausible loops and where delays likely sit.”

Move 3 — Spot Leverage (Small moves, big outcomes)

1. Constraint + Delay Scan: Where is flow blocked? Where are feedbacks slow?
2. Leverage Points Checklist (inspired by Meadows): parameters → buffers → info flows → rules → goals → mindset.
3. Option Generation: 10+ interventions across levels; cluster into themes.
   • Deliverable: Leverage Shortlist (2–3 options) with expected loop impacts.
   • AI assist: “For each option, predict which loops strengthen or weaken and why.”

Move 4 — Test & Choose (Reduce downside risk)

1. Scenario Cards: Best/likely/worst; second‑order effects; unintended consequences.
2. Premortem & Risk Nets: What fails if this works? What works if this fails?
3. Decision Mini‑Dossier: Choice, rationale, assumptions, kill‑criteria.

• Deliverable: 2‑page Decision Note.
• AI assist: “Run a premortem on Option B; list tripwires and leading indicators.”

Move 5 — Make Change Stick (Learn faster than the system)

1. Intervention Design: Owners, cadence, feedback channels, stakeholder commitments.
2. Metrics Matrix: Leading vs. lagging; local vs. global; cadence and targets.
3. 90‑Day Learning Plan: Experiments, reviews, and adjustment rules.

• Deliverable: 90‑day plan + dashboard sketch.
• AI assist: “Propose a simple weekly ritual to tighten feedback on this plan.”

Templates & Tear Sheets

• Boundary Canvas (scope, horizons, constraints)
• Stakeholder Map (influence/interest + info flows)
• 5 Whys Tree (root cause worksheet)
• Stocks & Flows Map (with common business examples)
• Causal Loop Diagram kit (R/B loop symbols, delays, polarity)
• Leverage Points Checklist (practicalised from Meadows)
• Scenario Cards (prompts for 2nd‑order effects)
• Metrics Matrix (leading/lagging, system vs. sub‑system)
• Leverage Brief (shareable 1‑pager)

All templates are provided as PDF, Google Docs, and Miro/Whimsical canvases for quick use.

The AI Copilot (inside ShipBuddy)

• Fast mapping: Convert plain text into draft CLDs and stakeholder lists.
• Analogy engine: “What does this system resemble?” Offers mental models and case analogs.
• Leverage suggester: Ranks interventions by expected loop impact and risk.
• Scenario expander: Surfaces second‑order effects and delays you’re likely missing.
• Premortem writer: Auto‑generates risk statements, tripwires, and kill‑criteria.
• Meeting mode: Facilitator scripts and prompts for 45–60‑min team sessions.

Time & pacing

A focused solo run takes 6–8 hours across 1–2 weeks. Team workshops add 2–3 hours for alignment.

Example use cases

• Churn reduction: Reveal which loops (onboarding friction, value‑time, support delays) dominate and where to tighten feedback.
• Delivery bottlenecks: Expose WIP creep and prioritisation rules; redesign constraints and cadences.
• Change resistance: Map incentives/mindsets; alter information flows and local goals.
• Policy trade‑offs: Evaluate short‑term metrics vs. long‑term capacity/quality.

What you get (full package)

• The 5‑Move Framework inside ShipBuddy with guided steps and prompts
• All templates & tear sheets (print‑ready + digital)
• Case patterns library with examples and do/don’t notes
• Reading notes on Thinking in Systems (Meadows) and The Fifth Discipline (Senge)
• Facilitator kit for a 90‑minute workshop (slides + script)
• Bonus Stack:
  • The Iceberg Model mini‑course (events → patterns → structure → mindset)
  • Change Rituals: 5 lightweight weekly cadences to keep feedback tight
  • Metrics That Don’t Backfire: guardrails for system‑safe KPIs

Pricing & license

• $215 single framework license.
• Included: lifetime updates to this framework.

How it works in ShipBuddy

1. Pick a challenge and start the guided flow.
2. Upload notes/data; the AI drafts your maps and options.
3. You refine, test scenarios, and produce a Leverage Brief.
4. Export artefacts and run the 90‑day plan with weekly prompts.

FAQs

Q: Is this too theoretical?
A: No. You’ll work from your live challenge into concrete artefacts and a 90‑day plan. The theory shows up as checklists and prompts.

Q: Do I need data?
A: Useful but not required. You’ll label assumptions and design simple ways to validate them.

Q: Can I run this with my team?
A: Yes. Use the facilitator kit and Meeting Mode; expect 60–90 mins to get a shared map.

Q: How does this differ from root‑cause tools?
A: It integrates root‑cause with loops, delays, incentives, and mindsets—so fixes don’t backfire.