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Relationship Scope

Description

Even when systems have the same number of elements, they can have differing numbers of relationships between their elements. In general, the greater the number of relationships in the system, the harder it is to determine the behaviour of the system. It's even more difficult when the relationships form loops and have delayed effects.

A system with lots of elements but relatively few relationships. When the locomotive (Element 1) moves, the carriages (other elements) move with it.
The simplest system has only one relationship between each element. The behaviour of systems like this is relatively easy to predict. (The elements could have been arranged in a straight line, but have been shown like this for consistency with the next diagram.)
This system has the same number of elements as that in the previous diagram, but it has many more relationships between its elements. Worse, the relationships form loops, and some of the relationships have delays (indicated by double bars). The behaviour of systems with these characteristics is hard to predict, and may be complex or chaotic.

Examples

Although the budget examples given for element scope focus on the number of elements in a system, they also show how the number of relationships can be surprisingly large.

This section describes similarities and differences between this issue and related problem factors and thinking traps.

Other Scopes

A system with many relationships probably has many elements (possibly including actions and outcomes).

Relationship scope refers to the number of interactions within the system. Time scope refers to the time dimension: the duration for which the interactions need to be considered. 

Reductionism

A system with many relationships tempts us to consider only a part of the system. This is called reductionism.

Busy and Reductionism

A system with many relationships tempts us to consider only a part of the system. This is called reductionism. This is especially true if we're busy.

Related Engine Processes

Later, we will describe a thinking framework that comprises multiple processes. This section points forward to the processes that deal with this page's topic.

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking involves working out how to represent the problem as a system, and working out how that system behaves.

Further Reading

Senge ('detail complexity').

To Do

Murdered Darlings

The positions of elements in a [causal-loop diagram](systems.html) aren’t significant; it’s the relationships that dictate the system’s behaviour. If it helps, think of this diagram as representing a train going around a curve.

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