Surfacing Underlying Patterns In a System

process

Mindwarmer

Step 1:
If you haven’t already, share the Systems Thinking slide deck with the class. Use the iceberg model to explain what systems thinking is, and how it might help us tell more complete stories. 

This can follow with a deeper explanation of feedback loops:

• A feedback loop is when forces within a system reinforce one another.
• They are the patterns and structures that drive systems, often making seemingly intractable problems seem stuck where they are.
• Identifying feedback loops can help us understand where power lies in systems and how power is reinforced, which can in turn strengthen how we report on those dynamics.

Step 2: 
To introduce the concept and practice of creating feedback loops, work with students to identify ones they see everyday. Some examples to share could be:

• When you come home in a bad mood, which leads to your roommate or partner being in a bad mood, reinforcing your own.
• When you don’t get any sleep, which means you can’t focus, decreasing your school performance, causing you to stay up late studying more, leading back to no sleep.
• (They don’t all have to be negative) When you’re eating well, this increases your health, which can decrease stress, motivating you to continue eating well.

Have students work in pairs or small groups to brainstorm a few of these they see every day.

Exercise

Step 3:
Pick a topic. As a class, think about a topic that you’ve been discussing or something you want to focus on. For instance, you could choose to focus on the education system, or crime in your city. 

Step 4:
Identify forces. Thinking about the topic chosen, ask the class: What forces or factors contribute to this issue?

A force is an individual element within a system – it could be a trend, policy, power dynamic, attitude, or belief. For instance, if you’ve chosen to focus on crime in your city, some forces could include: poverty, low-level offenses, incarceration, housing insecurity, and police brutality.

In small groups, have students identify some of the forces or factors that contribute to it. 

(If you’ve already completed the Capture, Cluster, Connect exercise, you can use the forces from that map.)

Step 5:
Come back as a whole and write down the forces groups identified on a piece of flip chart paper or white board.  Brainstorm any forces that may be missing. Try to have a list of at least 10 forces to work from.

Step 6:
Have students break back into small groups. Give each group sticky notes and their own sheet of flip chart paper.

In each of their groups, they should pick one force from the list as their starting point. This can be a force they think is particularly relevant or important. Have them write it on a sticky note and place it at the top of their flip chart paper.

Step 7: 
Create the feedback loop. Ask students: What does the force they chose lead to? They can pick another force from the list, or write one of their own. Draw leading arrows in between the forces. Keep asking that question until they’ve looped back around to the first force.

If students are getting stuck, they can work backwards from the top force. 

Tip #1: Try to keep loops to 3-6 forces.

Tip #2: Keep the force neutral. For example, instead of saying “lack of jobs,” say “employment.” We do this because in complex issues, those factors will likely change. For example, there might now always be a “lack of jobs,” but “employment” will always be a factor. Keeping it neutral will also help us later indicate how the different forces are affecting one another. 

Step 8:
Label connections. Once each group has created their feedback loop, it’s time to label the connections between each force. In the example below, notice how an increase in “incarceration” leading to a decrease in “employment” is indicated with “+” and “-” signs. Have students do this for their feedback loops.

Step 9: 
Have groups present their loops to the class. The opportunity to talk through the loop can help identify any gaps that may be present in their narrative.

Step 10:
(Optional) Have students create a few more loops in their groups, or build loops that connect to one another using like forces.

Step 11:
Debrief and discuss. Explain to students that creating these loops can be a really useful way of understanding the complex topics they’ll have to report on in the future. As a class, discuss the following questions:

• How do you think you could use these feedback loops in your reporting?
• Do you think that your journalism could help disrupt some of these loops? Why or why not?
• What sources could you go to to test the accuracy of your loop?

Have questions? Feedback?

We’d love to hear about your experience using these activities in your classroom, get your thoughts on what we could improve. Email us at resources@journalismdesign.com or fill out this form.