Free e-book: illustrated Complex Systems Frameworks Collection
Because complex isn’t the same as complicated
Announcing a new Complex Systems Framework Collection by Diane T. Finegood, Chris Yakimov, and illustrated by Sam Bradd – with a brand new website, free e-book and more – to help navigate an increasingly complex world.
E-book: illustrated Complex Systems Frameworks Collection
At this link here, you can download a full set of images, individual images, and the e-book PDF. As a gift back to the field, we’ve made a free, interactive PDF version of the Complex Systems Framework Collection.
Why a collection of Complex Systems Frameworks? People have developed many excellent frameworks, analogies and models for understanding complexity. We’re bringing them together in an illustrated collection to help you:
- work more effectively with complex problems,
- challenge conventional wisdom,
- and develop a robust systems thinking perspective,
Because complex isn’t the same as complicated.
We believe that no single framework can reflect everything about complex challenges. But, we can learn a lot by using multiple frameworks to look at the same problem. To help, the frameworks are organized into groups, which are ‘jumping off points’ for developing systems thinking perspectives.
Each framework has its own page in the A-Z index and can be found among a set of related frameworks in these Collections.
Boundaries and Definitions: Define the boundaries of a problem. Boundaries and definitions build trust and maximize collective impact, and directly influences the types of solutions.
Complex vs Complicated: Show the difference between simple, complicated, complex, and chaotic challenges. These differences are key for systems thinking, problem solving, and understanding predictability and control.
Dynamic Complexity: Examine time and feedback loops on system behaviour and adaptation, and understand how change and volatility impacts complex systems.
Organizational and Governance Strategies: Explore how influencing a system – instead of forcing change – can be more effective to create change in a complex system. Learn right-sized and practical strategies to support individual and collective efforts.
Paradigm Shifts: Learn how to adjust mental models when asking people to tackle complex challenges. Big system changes require changing our mental models, values, and how we respond.
Places to Intervene: Explore frameworks for strategically intervening in complex systems. Intervening wisely can address more than symptoms of a problem.
Trust and Collaboration: Uncover how trust is the foundation for societies and organizations that thrive amid complexity. Strengthen your understanding of how to build different cooperative partnerships.
Visit the Complex Systems Framework Collection and stay tuned for further models and developments in 2026.