RealityCharting e-book .pdf - SERC Home Page

Like the evolution of mathematics, the struggle to find a better way
to communicate is slow to develop. We have not developed a set of rules
by which to effectively and consistently solve event-based problems—
until now. By recognizing the disparity between our linear language
and the nonlinear physical world we live in, we see the elegance of the
Realitychart. We finally have a tool that allows all stakeholders to visualize
and share the causes of any event-based problem.
Our linear thinking has misguided us into the narrow-minded
thinking of a root cause for every problem. This thinking is born of our
language, or perhaps it is the language that shapes our thinking. Either
way, when we limit ourselves to think only in terms of A caused B and B
caused C, we limit our ability to address the complex issues we must face
in our rapidly changing world. This is not to say we should stop telling
stories and forget about simple linear cause chains. This is not going to
happen and it should not happen. Telling stories is one of the greatest
things about being human, and short cause chains often occur in the
cause-and-effect charts, but we should leave stories to the world of
entertainment and adopt causal thinking for all matter associated with
event-based problems and our success for the future.
Expressing branched cause paths like those presented herein is too
difficult for our modern languages. By producing a Realitychart, we are
providing a visual dialog that enables all stakeholders to learn together
such that they arrive at a common solution.
People walk away from a RealityCharting session with the
gratification that their perspective was included and that the causes
make sense. Everyone is confident the solution will work because they
can see the causal connections between solution and primary effect.
Intuition and gut feelings are even represented if the group concurs
with the value. There is a realization that while they did not arrive at their
original conclusion, things have to be done differently.
If someone did not participate in the original construction of the
chart, it facilitates future visual dialog to accommodate new perspectives.
This learning process is enabled by the visual dialog and is a better motivator
for improvement than implementing what somebody else dictates.
A Simple Structured Approach
As with a wheel or anything of great value, it is the simplicity that
provides the greatest worth. We can take the man out of the cave, but
it has been virtually impossible to take the cave out of the man. While
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A New Way of Thinking