[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-657444-105":59,"doc-detail-657444-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","causal-loop-diagramming-how-to-guide-and-case-study-framework","Causal Loop Diagramming - How-To Guide and Case Study - Framework","","Causal Loop Diagramming explains how to represent interconnected system factors that drive an outcome over time, helping teams separate complex problem dynamics for action planning. The guide defines key elements—variables, causal arrows, polarities, and feedback loops—then shows how to build a “dynamic hypothesis” by plotting trends, brainstorming contributing factors, and linking them into reinforcing and balancing loops. It concludes by using the diagram to surface leverage points, frame competing hypotheses, and align multi-stakeholder action.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/causal-loop-diagramming-how-to-guide-and-case-study-framework/657444/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/causal-loop-diagramming-how-to-guide-and-case-study-framework/657444.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"SANS","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-26",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":34},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What does causal loop diagramming help people understand?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It helps explain how multiple system factors interact to cause outcomes over time, and it clarifies the dynamics behind complex problems to inform action planning.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What are the fundamental building blocks in a causal loop diagram?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Variables represent important system factors, arrows show causal connections, polarities indicate relationship direction (+/-), and feedback loops capture closed causal relationships.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How do reinforcing and balancing feedback loops differ?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Reinforcing loops reinforce change and include 0 or an even number of arrows with negative polarity; balancing loops resist change and include an odd number of arrows with negative polarity.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},657444,1793074066,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":34,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":24,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},962090760505,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Causal Loop Diagramming How-To Guide  \nWhat is it?  \n• A diagram that clearly depicts how multiple factors in a system may interact to cause an outcome (e.g., road traffic crashes) .  \n• Used to help better understand and disentangle the complexity surrounding specific problems or issues to inform action planning.  \nWhy do we use it?  \n• To help understand a complex system from a variety of perspectives—to enrich our understanding of the factors working together to create problems.  \n• To identify “vicious cycles” are other circular relationships that perpetuate problems, or “virtuous cycles” that we can leverage to create beneficial change.  \n• To help identify and expand thinking on potential points of action (or “leverage points”) within a system.  \nHow to create a Causal Loop Diagram  \nThere are several ways to approach causal loop diagramming, depending on the goals of the group and number of people involved. Several documents available from The Systems Thinker ([www.thesystemsthinker.com](www.thesystemsthinker.com)) and Scriptapedia can help provide additional step-by-step guides. Here we briefly discuss a very general framework that could be used to conduct causal loop diagramming:  \n1. Define the problem that you or your group is interested in understanding better. In other words, what is happening over time that you are concerned about (e.g., pedestrian deaths increasing)? Draw or plot this problem over time, using either real data or by approximating the trend.  \n2. Begin to brainstorm on important factors potentially related to this problem (e.g., related factors that may be changing over time)? These could be factors like changes in vehicle miles traveled over time, changes in vehicle size, changes in the impaired driving, etc.  \n3. Using these brainstormed factors, begin to build a causal loop diagram (or a “dynamic hypothesis”) to help understand the factors that may be contributing to change in the core trend that you are concerned with (from step \\#1) .  \nTo construct this causal loop diagram, use the following fundamental building blocks:  \n➢ Variables: Important factors in the system. These factors can increase or decrease over time (e.g., vehicle trips) .  \n➢ Arrows: Connections between variables, denoting that one variable is causally connected to another variable.(e.g., Crashes  Injuries)  \n➢ Polarities: Notes the specific type of relationship between two causally connected variables. A “+”polarity or an “S” indicates that the two variables change in the same direction, all else held equal. A “-“ polarity or an “O” indicates that the two variables change in the opposite direction, all else held equal.  \n(e.g., Crashes + Injuries, or “more crashes lead to more injuries” and  \nSafe walking infrastructure - Pedestrian crashes, or “more safe walking infrastructure leads to fewer pedestrian crashes”) .  \n➢ Feedback loops: Closed loops of causal connections that either reinforce change (a reinforcing loop) or resist change (a balancing loop) . A reinforcing loop includes 0 or an even number of arrows with a “-“ polarity, and a  \nbalancing loop includes an odd number of arrows with a“-“ polarity. See the figure below for an example.  \nUsing these building blocks, express stories and hypothesize about relationships between variables related to your core trend. Write your core variable (from Step 1) in the middle of your paper/board and consider the causes and consequences of change in that variable. Challenge yourself or others to consider the ripple effects of causal actions. Instead of stopping at X causes Y, ask but what does Y cause and does that turn back around to affect X?  \nUse variables, arrows, and polarities. When you identify a closed chain of connections (as shown in the figure below), label this as a feedback loop with a “B” for a balancing feedback loop or an “R” for a reinforcing feedback loop.  \n4. Using the diagram, you can begin to discuss your hypotheses about the factors interacting to cause y","cbCaibOJrK7RkbWm","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibOJrK7RkbWm","pdf",717057,"English","# What is it?\n## Why do we use it?\n# How to create a Causal Loop Diagram\n## Fundamental building blocks\n## Building and labeling feedback loops\n# Using the diagram to discuss hypotheses and action\n# Case study","[{\"question\":\"What does causal loop diagramming help people understand?\",\"answer\":\"It helps explain how multiple system factors interact to cause outcomes over time, and it clarifies the dynamics behind complex problems to inform action planning.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the fundamental building blocks in a causal loop diagram?\",\"answer\":\"Variables represent important system factors, arrows show causal connections, polarities indicate relationship direction (+/-), and feedback loops capture closed causal relationships.\"},{\"question\":\"How do reinforcing and balancing feedback loops differ?\",\"answer\":\"Reinforcing loops reinforce change and include 0 or an even number of arrows with negative polarity; balancing loops resist change and include an odd number of arrows with negative polarity.\"}]","Causal Loop Diagramming - How-To Guide and Case Study - Framework | PDF",1792979079,13]