Systems Thinking Problem Definer — an interactive web app that guides users through structured problem definition using causal loop diagrams, built for fashion retail contexts like Charles & Keith.
- Guided Question Flow — Chat-style UI walks users through 6 structured questions one at a time
- Reinforcing Loop (R) — Auto-generated self-amplifying causal loop showing how the problem feeds itself
- Balancing Loop (B) — Auto-generated corrective causal loop showing how intervention stabilizes the system
- Structured Problem Statement — Stakeholder-ready output combining all inputs into a clear, actionable statement
- Dark / Light Mode — Toggle with theme persistence
- Copy to Clipboard — One-click copy of the final problem statement
- Export PDF — Print-optimized layout for sharing
- Example Problems — Pre-loaded retail scenarios for quick exploration
- Random Problem Generator — Instant starter prompts
- Progress Indicator — 7-step visual tracker
- Responsive Design — Works on desktop and mobile
- Zero Dependencies — Pure HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a single file
- Describe a vague retail problem (or pick an example)
- Answer 6 guided questions: Domain, Channel, Audience, Current Metric, Target, Timeframe
- View auto-generated results:
- Reinforcing Loop (R) — the vicious cycle
- Balancing Loop (B) — the corrective intervention
- Structured problem statement ready for stakeholders
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Markup | HTML5 |
| Styling | CSS3 (custom properties, animations, dark mode) |
| Logic | Vanilla JavaScript (ES6+) |
| Hosting | GitHub Pages |
No frameworks. No build step. No backend. Just open index.html.
# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/alfredang/systemloop.git
# Open in browser
open systemloop/index.htmlOr visit the live demo.
This tool applies systems thinking methodology to retail problem definition. Instead of jumping to solutions, it helps users:
- Map the reinforcing loops that make problems self-sustaining
- Identify balancing loops that represent corrective interventions
- Articulate problems in a structured, measurable format
Designed with fashion retail use cases (e.g., Charles & Keith) in mind, but applicable to any domain.
MIT