Research shows that asking these 5 "DSRP" questions of an idea, issue, or concept increases systems thinking
What things am I choosing to see and not see?
How are these things organized into part-whole groups?
How are these things related? (and not related)
Do these relationships have parts?
From what or whose perspective?
DSRP questioning helps us to see things about systems but also to consider some of the things we are not seeing. It also helps us to look at systems from multiple perspectives. When we do look at things from multiple perspectives, it doesn't just shift the point of view, it also changes the distinctions we make, the relationships we do or do not see, and the way we organize parts into a coherent whole. Below, you can see that just my combining the Distinctions rule (identity-other or what is and what is not) with the other three rules (S, R, and P) we get a number of very important questions that can be asked universally of any topic, issue, problem, or system.
D-rule + D-rule
What distinctions am I seeing?
What distinctions am I not seeing?
D-rule + S-rule
What systems am I seeing?
What systems am I not seeing?
D-rule + R-rule
What relationships am I seeing?
What relationships am I not seeing?
D-rule + P-rule
From what point of view am I seeing things?
Which points of view am I not seeing?
DSRP structures are similar to DNA in that they organize different information. So, combined with certain information, when we ask different structural questions, we get different informational answers.
You can try it below. Simply add two bits of information into the form fiels and watch what happens to the questions!
Remember that a Distinction is made up of an identity (what something is) and an other (what something is not). To perform a Distinction analysis, take a step back from your map and ask yourself these questions:
Remember that a System is made up of an interaction between part and whole. To perform a part-whole analysis, take a step back from your map and ask yourself these questions:
Remember that a Relationship is made up of an action and a reaction. To perform a Relationship analysis, take a step back from your map and ask yourself these questions:
Remember that Perspectives are made up of an interaction between point and view. To perform a Perspective analysis, take a step back from your map and ask yourself these questions: