Causal Layer Analysis
Causal Layer Analysis is a foresight tool developed by Sohail Inayatullah to break down complex challenges into four layers:
- Surface Level: Immediate concerns and visible issues.
- Systemic Level: The broader systems and structures influencing those issues.
- Worldview Level: The beliefs and perspectives shaping those systems.
- Myth/Metaphor Level: The deeper narratives and stories underlying the worldview.
This exercise helps you examine the deeper structures influencing an issue by exploring multiple layers of meaning. By analyzing surface-level symptoms, underlying causes, worldviews, and core myths, you can develop a more comprehensive understanding of complex challenges and potential solutions.