Each method in this toolkit can spark deep conversation and insight and set the stage for bold action.
Additionally, each tool can be applied to an entire system, to an organization such as a specific child care center or network, or even to a single program or initiative. Any topic that has a current reality and possibilities for the future can be examined using these tools.
The three tools – The Systems Iceberg, Three Horizons, and Now vs. Future – are described below.
The Systems Iceberg is a tool from the field of systems thinking that can help us stop and look at how a system is working beneath the surface so that we can understand what is happening at a deep level, before attempting to create change. It enables us to articulate not only the events and circumstances that we can see and experience but also the patterns, structures, and beliefs that are contributing to them. The iceberg is also useful in assessing whether potential solutions are addressing the symptoms or the root causes of a problem.
