connection-circles

name	connection-circles
description	Use connection circles to map cause-and-effect relationships and identify feedback loops in a system. Use when analyzing interacting variables, product dynamics, support load, customer behavior, or systemic side effects.
license	MIT
metadata	{"author":"itzcull"}

Connection Circles

Overview

Type of Tool: Systems Thinking Tool

Purpose: Understand relationships and identify feedback loops within systems

How to Create a Connection Circle

Steps

1. Start with a circle on paper
2. Identify key system elements:
   • Important to system changes
   • Can increase or decrease
   • Described by a noun
3. Write elements around the circle (limit to 10)
4. Map cause and effect relationships:
   • Draw arrows between elements
   • Indicate increases ("+") or decreases ("-")
5. Find cause-and-effect relationships
6. Identify closed feedback loops

Example Scenario

Context: Product with unhappy customers experiencing bugs and slow support

Key Elements

• Unhappy customers
• Bugs in product
• Response times
• Support tickets
• New features

Mapping Relationships

The connection circle helps visualize how these elements interact, showing:

• More support tickets lead to longer response times
• Longer response times create more unhappy customers
• New features attempt to reduce unhappy customers
• New features can also introduce more bugs

Benefits

• Understand system complexity
• Visualize cause-and-effect relationships
• Identify reinforcing and balancing feedback loops

Resources

• Systems Thinker article on Connection Circles
• Worksheet available in Untools Vault

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Source: https://untools.co/connection-circles/