Purpose
The method helps clarify connections, patterns, and leverage points concretely. It draws relationships, patterns, and feedback loops. The result is captured as a Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, and Intervention Ideas.
Systems Thinking
Current Reality Tree
Clarifies connections, patterns, and leverage points by collecting undesirable effects, formulating causal links, and deriving interventions.
Which few core causes lie under the system's undesirable effects, and at which leverage points would an intervention resolve the most UDEs at once?
HighWorkshop2-6 h
How it works
The team follows the steps: collect undesirable effects, formulate causal links, check logic, identify core causes, and derive interventions. Each step is captured visibly. At the end, a Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, and Intervention Ideas are available so decisions, tests, or actions can follow directly.
Visual orientation
Method sketch for a quick mental model.
Flow
- 1Collect undesirable effects
- 2Formulate causal links
- 3Check logic
- 4Identify core causes
- 5Derive interventions
The runsheet guides execution with 5 phases, timeboxes, 5 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open runsheetIdeal for
- Complex Problem Solving
- Process Improvement
- Systems Change
Not good for
- Quick individual decisions
- Problems without a shared system understanding
Deep dive
In detail
Current Reality Tree follows a clear working logic: collect undesirable effects, formulate causal links, check logic, identify core causes, and derive interventions. This turns the method into a visible thinking process rather than only a conversation. Participants move step by step from raw material, observations, or options toward a shared structure. The result is a Current Reality Tree, Core Problems, and Intervention Ideas that make decisions, learning, or further planning actionable.
Facilitation
Prepare a clear guiding question, the right information, and a visible workspace. Plan about 2-6 h with 3-8 people and use the format in a facilitated workshop. The facilitation needs noticeable structure and preparation; short timeboxes, visible intermediate results, and a parking lot for open questions help.
Output artifacts
Current Reality TreeCore ProblemsIntervention Ideas
Artifact templates
Current Reality Tree Working TemplateCompact working template for Current Reality Tree with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.canvas
Current Reality Tree Working TemplateCompact working template for Current Reality Tree with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
canvascurrent-reality-tree-working-template.md
Compact working template for Current Reality Tree with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
Current Reality Tree Canvas
Context
What is this method used for?
Core question
Which question should be answered at the end?
Input
Which data, observations, or materials are available?
Working area
- Area 1:
- Area 2:
- Area 3:
- Relationships / patterns:
Output artifacts
- Current Reality Tree:
- Core Problems:
- Intervention Ideas:
Open questions
- ...
Next step
Owner, date, success signal.
When to choose differently
Short decision aid for existing alternatives.
Causal Loop Diagram
Statt Current Reality Tree, wenn ein Wirkgefüge mit Schleifen verständlich werden soll und keine TOC-Logik nötig ist.
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