Sightlines: a practical introduction to Systems Thinking
Three simple, interactive tools for thinking more clearly about a complex situation. In this free, participatory one-hour Zoom session, you will use Sightlines to examine the boundary of a situation, the perspectives within it, and the connections between its parts.
Free. Online. Limited to 10 places. Not recorded.
More information
Many of us work in situations that resist a simple explanation. There are competing priorities, different viewpoints, unclear boundaries, and effects that only become visible once you look at how the parts connect.
In this free one-hour Zoom session, I will introduce Sightlines, a set of three interactive tools for thinking more clearly about complex situations.
Each tool takes about five minutes. Used in sequence, they build a picture of your situation from three angles: its boundary, the perspectives inside it, and the connections between its parts.
We will work through all three:
Boundary drawing: deciding what belongs inside the situation you are considering, and what sits outside it
Stakeholder mapping: identifying the people, groups, roles, and perspectives involved
Connection graphing: sketching relationships, dependencies, influences, and feedback between parts of the situation
I will begin with a live walkthrough, then you will use the tools on a real situation from your own work. There will be time to compare notes, ask questions, and discuss what becomes clearer when you look at the same situation in these three ways.
You do not need prior knowledge of Systems Thinking. This is an introduction, but it is not a webinar. Please come with a situation you would like to examine, such as a piece of work that feels stuck, a decision with competing pressures, a change process, a partnership, or a problem that has more than one plausible account.
This session is free, experimental, participatory, and will not be recorded. I am limiting it to 10 people so there is room for people to work and talk. If places are full, you can join the waitlist.
Sightlines is part of my open-source tools work through Dynamic Skillset. It consists of three interactive systems-thinking tools, each of which guides you through a short conversation and produces a live diagram.
Running order
00:00 — Welcome, introductions, and a short framing of Systems Thinking
00:05 — Live walkthrough of the three Sightlines tools
00:20 — Individual work on your own situation
00:40 — Discussion, questions, and reflections
00:55 — Closing, next steps, and feedback
Participation and access
This is a small, participatory session. You do not need to share sensitive information, and you can describe your situation at whatever level of detail feels appropriate.
A few requests to help make the hour work well:
Join promptly if you can, as the opening walkthrough sets up the practical activity.
Bring a situation from your work that is complex enough to benefit from looking at it from several angles.
You are welcome to keep your camera off, contribute in the chat, or simply listen during the discussion.
Please treat other participants’ examples with care. Do not repeat identifiable details outside the session without permission.
The session will not be recorded.
Let me know about any accessibility requirements when you register. I will do my best to accommodate them.