Archetype - Fixes that Fail/Backfire

· Have actions been taken to respond quickly to a problem/crisis without much     consideration of long-term consequences? · Did the response help to reduce the problem in the beginning but long term     consequences actually created more problems?

One Fixes that Fail/Backfire Story

· Problem Symptom - Achievement gap · Fix - Administration unilaterally add a new program to the curriculum · Unintended Consequences - Teacher resentment, have too much to do      already without learning a new program on top of everything else that     probably will be replaced shortly by another new program.

The fix relieves the problem symptom in the short run.  However, it creates an unintended consequence that makes the problem symptom worse.  This requires the fix to be applied again creating the unintended consequences once more, which in turn increases the severity of the problem symptom.

Archetype - Drifting Goals

· Are there goals or standards that are eroding over time? · Are people focused on achieving the goal or on reducing the discomfort of not     achieving the goals?

One Drifting Goal Story

· Goal - Mrs. Dumas wants all of her social studies students to complete their     reading assignment outside of class so they can participate in class discussions     about the controversial issues raised. · Condition - Many students arrive to class without having done their reading,     making class discussion difficult and ineffective. · Gap - The difference between the goal and the condition. · Actions to Improve Conditions - Mrs. Dumas would need to find new     ways to motivate and facilitate her students in doing their reading assignment     outside of class. · Pressures to Adjust Goals - Mrs. Dumas chooses to use class time for     reading, thereby reducing or eliminating the time for valuable discussion.  This     engenders an expectation that students do not need to read outside of class.

Drifting goals occur when a goal is watered down or changed due to the conditions or a lack of understanding of the “big picture”, instead of taking the necessary actions to improve conditions and/or change the structure to create an environment in which the goal may be attained.

Archetype - Escalation

· Are there two or more players of equal power whose individual actions can be    perceived as a threat by the others? · Does each player have the capacity to retaliate with similar actions?

· Activity by A - During the Cold War the US developed new weapon systems    to address a perceived threat from the USSR  · A's Result - The US felt safer · Results of A's Relative to B's - The US had more sophisticated weapons    than the USSR · Threat to B - The USSR sees the new development in the US arsenal as a    threat to their security · Activity by B - The USSR increased its weapons capabilities · B's Result - The USSR felt safer · A's Position Relative to B's - The USSR had more sophisticated weapons    than the US · Threat to A - The US sees the new development in the USSR arsenal as a    threat to their security · Activity by A - As a result the US increased its weapons capabilities and    around and around they went.

The actions of both parties continue to escalate until other strategies are employed to stop the behavior and/or resources are exhausted.

Archetype - Shifting the Burden

· Are actions that were taken to address problem symptoms actually making it     more difficult to implement more fundamental solutions? · Are there additional consequences that systematically erode the capability to     implement a fundamental solution?

One Shifting the Burden Story

· Problem Symptom - Students are not prepared after high school · Symptomatic Solution - Accountability based on standardized testing in     core subjects focused on content knowledge · Side Effect - Standardized tests tend to assess fact knowledge and not     critical thinking or problem solving skills. Teaching time and effort focused on     core subjects and test prep · Fundamental Solution - Developing a structure where students develop     critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary to be successful in the     future, as well as content knowledge

Not understanding the “big picture” and focusing on a symptomatic solution produces side effects. Side effects siphon off resources that could be used to implement the fundamental solution. The fundamental solution will address the problem long term. However, there is a delay before a positive change starts to take place.  This delay, if not accounted for can lead to abandoning the fundamental solution before positive change starts.

Archetype - Success to the Successful

· Are there two or more equal options that are linked to a common resource     and support and gain for one results in loss of support and gain for another?

One Success to the Successful Story

· Success of A - After attending a training session on a new reading instruction     program, Ms Jones’ students show dramatic gains in reading comprehension     at the end of the semester. · Success of B - While he attended the same training as Ms Jones, Mr.     Baker’s students show more moderate gains. · Allocation to A instead of B - When a new training opportunity, in boosting     student self-confidence, comes along, the principal decides to send Ms Jones     because she has shown she can successfully implement new techniques. · Resources to A - Ms Jones gains a greater repertoire of effective teaching     techniques. · Resources to B - Mr. Baker gets fewer opportunities to build his teaching     skill.

This system structure, in which there are limited resources, programs and/or people that are already successful receive a majority of the resources. Leaving alternative programs and/or people with inadequate resources to develop and become successful.

Archetype - Limits to Success

· Are once-successful systems experiencing diminishing returns? · Are there limits in the system that are constraining the growth?

One Limits to Success Story

Performance       · Student development of critical thinking skills and lifelong learning · Efforts       · Teacher training in systems thinking      · Mentors working with teachers to identify & plan how systems thinking          tools, concepts and habits can enhance student development of critical          thinking and problem solving skills      · Informing curriculum specialists of the role systems thinking plays in the         development of critical thinking and lifelong learning      · Coordination of existing programs to identify and take advantage of         efficiencies · Limiting Actions        · As more teachers are trained more mentors are needed      · More mentors mean an increase in budget      · Teachers wary of the latest greatest new thing to add to an already          overloaded work   environment · Constraints      · Time,       · Budget

No system can grow forever.  By being aware of the limiting actions and constraints of a system, participants can make changes as success grows. Enabling maximum growth and efficiency.

Archetype - Tragedy of the Commons

· Is there a large number of equal players who have free or equal     access to a common and limited resource? · Is the system set up to be self-regulated, with no governing policies     or goals and competition or greed could cause problems?

One Tragedy of the Commons Story

· Resource Limit      · The time it takes for trees to grow to a harvestable size · Gain per Individual Activity           · Number of harvestable trees available for company A & B · Net Gains for A            · Trees harvested and profits produced each year · A's Activity             · The more harvesting the greater the profits · Net Gains for B             · Trees harvested and profits produced each year · B's Activity       · The more harvesting the greater the profits Total Activity           · Total number of trees harvested by company A and company B each time          period.

As the total activity overtakes the resource limit fewer trees are available for harvest. The mature trees gained per individual activity will decline resulting in lost profits. The two competing companies may start to harvest immature trees to protect their profit margin.  If this action is allowed the resource will be depleted beyond its ability to regenerate.

Archetype diagrams and questions adapted from Applying Systems Archetypes,
Daniel H. Kim & Colleen P. Lannon

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