Session Brief: Current Reality Tree

Goal

Artifact: Current Reality Tree

Working Question

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?

Context

Scope or system boundary; list of known problems from the last quarters; known improvement initiatives that did not work; definition of "undesirable effect" (UDE).

Setup

• Format: Method session
• Duration: 2-6 h
• Mode: Workshop
• Participants: A facilitator with ToC experience who runs logic checks; three to eight participants from different functions (Sales, Operations, Engineering, Support); a scribe for assumptions and logic checks.
• Owner: A facilitator with ToC experience who runs logic checks
• Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
• Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Current Reality Tree. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Large whiteboard or Miro board (at least 6 m horizontal), sticky notes in two colors (UDEs, intermediate causes), arrows/markers for causal links, timer, shared definition of UDE.

Preparation

Mark a UDE area on the right of the board (UDEs at top), causal chain to the left (deeper into system). Post example UDE and example causal arrow as template. Turn off phones and set one uninterrupted time block.

Agenda

1. Phase 1: Collect UDEs (30-45 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Solo sketching 10 min: each person writes at least five UDEs (negative, measurable, experienced effects). Group clustering, merge duplicates, compress to 10-15 UDEs. Formulate each UDE as complete sentence. Hint: UDEs are not causes but observed effects. "Onboarding is bad" is a diagnosis, "Two of five new customers drop out in week 1" is a UDE. Output: Current Reality Tree

2. Phase 2: Form causal links (60-90 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Ask backward for each UDE: what must hold true for this effect to occur? Post hypotheses as intermediate nodes and connect with arrows. Arrows carry causal statements, for example "if A then B". Hint: Every arrow is checked with CLR (Categories of Legitimate Reservation): clarity, existence, causality, sufficiency, predictability. The person who adds arrows must explain each one. Output: Core Problems

3. Phase 3: Logic check (30-45 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Walk bottom to top together. For each arrow ask: are there counterexamples, is cause sufficient on its own or is a missing condition needed? Mark weak arrows with assumption stickers. Hint: Logic checks are the most expensive phase and the real value of the method. Shortcutting it leaves a mind map instead of a CRT. Output: Intervention Ideas

4. Phase 4: Identify core causes (20-30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Trace paths and mark common roots. A cause that explains several UDEs is a core-cause candidate. Mark the top 1-3 core causes. Hint: If every UDE has its own root, the tree is incomplete or the UDEs are in multiple systems. In the first case, continue connecting, in the second narrow the scope. Output: Current Reality Tree

5. Phase 5: Interventions and follow-up (20-30 min) Owner: Owner Action: Collect intervention ideas for each core cause. For each idea note which UDEs it would resolve, owner, next step, and review date. Hint: Interventions are validated later with the Future Reality Tree. CRT diagnoses, FRT creates treatment design; both belong together. Output: Core Problems

6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Current Reality Tree

Closeout

• Update result artifact: Current Reality Tree
• Define location, version, and review recipients.
• Define owner, next step, and review date.

Current Reality Tree: Current Reality Tree

Working Question

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?

Context

Scope or system boundary; list of known problems from the last quarters; known improvement initiatives that did not work; definition of "undesirable effect" (UDE).

Participants

• Owner: A facilitator with ToC experience who runs logic checks
• Participants: A facilitator with ToC experience who runs logic checks; three to eight participants from different functions (Sales, Operations, Engineering, Support); a scribe for assumptions and logic checks.

Input

Large whiteboard or Miro board (at least 6 m horizontal), sticky notes in two colors (UDEs, intermediate causes), arrows/markers for causal links, timer, shared definition of UDE.

Template

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.

Completion Check

• Current Reality Tree is complete enough for review:
• Location:
• Version / status:
• Review by:
• Next step:

Next Step

• Review result
• Mark open questions
• Schedule review or decision