Thinking method · Senge, The Fifth Discipline
And then what?
Following consequences past the one you intended. Before changing an incentive, a rule, a price, or a metric.
Free — no account needed to read
Following consequences past the one you intended.
The steps
- State the change and its intended first effect.
- Ask: who responds to this, and how?
- Ask "and then what?" again on that response.
- Ask it once more of that answer, which is usually where the surprise is.
- Check whether anything at step two or three undoes step one.
When to use it
Before changing an incentive, a rule, a price, or a metric.
What it will not do
Three steps out, you are guessing. Guessing on paper is still better than being surprised.
Where it comes from: Senge, The Fifth Discipline. Described in our own words.
The module it belongs to
- Systems Thinking — Understand connections and consequences