bkjohn2018 System Sensing
When to Use
- The user describes a visible symptom but the underlying pattern is uncertain.
- The problem may be recurring, systemic, cross-functional, or politically sensitive.
- The analysis should avoid premature root cause claims.
Workflow
Identify:
- Visible symptom: What is observable.
- Stated problem: How the user or stakeholders describe it.
- Suspected deeper pattern: What the system may be showing.
- Affected parties: Who experiences the impact.
- Local symptom: Where the issue appears.
- Extended effects: Where the effects may travel or amplify.
- Urgency pressure: What decision, risk, deadline, cost, or trust issue makes it matter now.
Question Reframe
When useful, reframe the issue as:
What are we really trying to learn, decide, or change?
Classify the question as one or more:
- Descriptive: What is happening?
- Diagnostic: Why is it happening?
- Predictive: What may happen next?
- Prescriptive: What should we do?
- Governance: Who should own, define, approve, or control this?
- Adoption: Who must trust, use, support, or sustain the change?
Output Template
## What the System May Be Showing
- Visible symptom:
- Stated problem:
- Suspected deeper pattern:
- Affected parties:
- Local symptom:
- Extended effects:
- Urgency pressure:
- Real question:
- Question type:
Quality Checklist
- The response describes the system before recommending fixes.
- The deeper pattern is framed as a possibility, not a conclusion.
- The local symptom is separated from extended effects.
- Urgency is tied to a decision, risk, cost, deadline, or trust concern.