Now that you have many more of the tools of systems thinking available to use in solving real-world problems, consider one of the problems in your problem catalog or find a new one in current events or from your life.

Note: You can choose a problem that you have worked with in an earlier module or you can choose a new problem. However, for this exercise, choose a problem different from the one you are analyzing for your final project.

Apply the systems thinking process to it by stating the problem well, identifying and understanding the systems involved, describing how archetypes apply (if they do), and describing how leverage points might be used to impact the system and move toward solving the problem.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

• Formulate a clear problem statement.
• Characterize the system involved by creating a causal loop diagram or a stock and flow diagram (whichever you think is more illuminating) of the system producing the problem.
• Apply all relevant archetypes and explain how they operate within the system.
• Identify leverage points. Explain how they would be applied and describe the possible impact of each.