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S Y S T E M S • T H I N K I N G • P R I N C I P L E S

	Principle	Description	Commentary
Concept List
1	Constants•Parameters•Numbers	Parameters are points of lowest leverage effects. Though they are the most clearly perceived among all leverages, They rarely change behavior and therefore have little long-term effect.	Thoughts on this topic.
2	Size of Buffer (stability stocks) Relative to Their Flows	A buffer's ability to stabilize a system is important when the stock amount is much higher than the potential amount of inflow or outflows. Buffers can improve a system, but they are often physical entities whose size is critical and can't be changed easily.	Thoughts on this topic.
3	Structure of Material Stocks and Flows	A system's structure may have enormous effects on operations but may be difficult or prohibitively expensive to change. Fluctuations, limitations, and bottlenecks may be easier to address.	Thoughts on this topic.
4	Length of Delays, Relative to the Rate of System Changes	Information received too quickly or too late can cause over or under-reaction even oscillations.	Thoughts on this topic.
5	Strength of Negative Feedback Loops, Relative to the Effect They Are Trying to Correct Against	A negative feedback loop slows down a process, tending to promote stability. The loop will keep the stock near the goal, thanks to parameters, accuracy, and speed of information feedback, and size of correcting flows.	Thoughts on this topic.
6	Gain Around Driving Positive Feedback Loops	A positive feedback loop speeds up a process. Generally, it is preferable to slow down a positive loop, rather than speeding up a negative one.	Thoughts on this topic.
7	Structure of Information Flow (who does and does not have access to what kinds of information)	Information flow is neither a parameter, nor a reinforcing or slowing loop, but a loop that delivers new information. It is cheaper and easier to change information flows than it is to change structures.	Thoughts on this topic.
8	Rules of the System (such as incentives, punishments, constraints)	Pay attention to rules and to who makes them.	Thoughts on this topic.
9	Power to Add, Change, Evolve, or Self-Organize System Structure.	Self-organization describes a system's ability to change itself by creating new structures, adding new negative and positive feedback loops, promotions, new information flows, or making new rules.	Thoughts on this topic.
10	Goal of the System	Changing goals changes every item listed above. Parameters, feedback loops, information, and self-organization.	Thoughts on this topic.
11	Mindeset or Paradigm that the System (its goals, structure, rules, delays, parameters) Arise From	A societal paradigm is an idea, a shared unstated assumption, or a system of thought that is the foundation of complex social structures. Paradigms are very hard to change, but there are no limits to paradigm change.	Thoughts on this topic.
12	Power to Transcend Paradigms	Transcending paradigms may go beyond challenging fundamental assumptions into the realm of changing the values and priorities that lead to the assumptions and being able to choose among value sets at will.	Thoughts on this topic.
Meadows, D. H. (2015). Thinking in Systems. Chelsea Green Publishing.