Leverage Points for System Architects: A Systems Thinking Approach Applying Donella Meadows’ Framework to Transform Your Architecture Practice
Introduction As system architects, we’re constantly making decisions about where to focus our efforts. Should we optimise those API timeout values? Redesign the entire microservices topology? Or perhaps advocate for a fundamental shift in how the organisation thinks about system resilience?
The answer lies in understanding leverage points - a concept from systems thinking that reveals where small changes can produce big results. Based on Donella Meadows’ seminal work on systems intervention, this framework helps architects identify the most effective places to intervene in complex systems.
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