instructor Hood's Key Ideas from Multisolving
by Elizabeth Sawin

“Some problems, whose consequences are extremely dangerous, have well-documented solutions... waiting to be implemented. Biodiversity loss and climate change come to mind…There is a mismatch in power between those working for change and those who resist it, and that delays the response to the crisis.”

Some problems worsen when you solve – or ignore – other problems.

“Changes in flow rates can drastically alter the behavior of systems, making flows enticing targets for multisolving.”

To multisolve, consider the system to change. Consider how you influence its stocks and their flows. Flows – particularly those with a single cause – matter in multisolving because you can direct flow changes to meet more than one desired goal, say storing water and irrigating a field. Assess how much each stock holds, how it changes, if it needs updating, and which stocks hold which resources. Resolve obstacles to change, such as inertia, but be aware that change takes time.

“The idea of co-benefits [led] them to form new partnerships and look for win-win-win solutions.”

Flows are interrelated, and their pace of change varies. So, consider how starting, restarting, decreasing, or stopping specific flows might help you achieve multiple goals. Keep the big picture in mind, and remember that change can generate discomfort.

“New technologies spread via reinforcing feedback. The more people who install a new technology…the more likely new customers are to give it a try. The more units are manufactured, the more the price falls, leading to more demand and even more manufacturing.”

When you plan a multisolving effort, consider how feedback will affect it. Trouble can arise when the processes that dampen reinforcing feedback stop working, such as when cell growth mutates into cancer. Reinforcing feedback does not exist in isolation. 

Because people have differing values, visions, rules, and worldviews, they may guide different parts of a system in different ways, increasing complexity.

“While complex systems are impossible [to] predict or control, we can work with them.”

1. Recognize the systems’ influences – Use analogies to familiar systems and behavior of unfamiliar ones.
2. Engage ethics – Err on the cautious side, and seek consent from those whom the systems affect.
3. Learn from outcomes.
4. Use computer programs or a collective experience to predict future system behavior.
5. Get better at dealing with a lack of certainty.
6. Consider time – Consider long- and short-term goals and consequences.
7. Consider boundaries – Be strategic about a system’s physical or conceptual space. Expanding it can bring in fresh resources, while limiting it can fire up new approaches.

To alter a system’s trajectory, change its structure or flows in these ways.

• Create a vision of a desired future state – Seize opportunities to move your vision toward reality.
• Let values guide the way – Be intentional about which values you pursue.
• Create rules to guide your work, like erring on the safe side or prioritizing well-being over money, can steer systems the right way.
• Value coherence – When something repeats in different places or scales, it can guide change and help it expand.
• Vision, values, and rules have impact – They can influence large systems as influencers use them.

Think of system change as parts of a dandelion. The roots are the work behind the scenes.

The leaves are activities, the blossoms are their result, and the dispersing seeds extend the plant’s impact. Sector-spanners, the moments when opportunities or threats emerge or come into being, often initiate actions.

The results depend on doing the necessary background work to identify opportunities and needs and to solidify rules, values, and vision. Cultivate relationships and monitor results.

Apply multisolving to support desirable conditions such as economic well-being.

“No one has to do everything; we all just have to do something.”

Take advantage of fresh opportunities, and preserve your options if new doors open. Make adjustments as needed. Take care of the flows and feedback loops in your organization. Seek stability in how your systems work. Build equity and connections. Recognize that even small actions matter, and hold the long game in mind.