A systems archetype from Peter M. Senge's The Fifth Discipline (1990), developed by Daniel H. Kim (Systems Archetypes I, 1992) and John D. Sterman (2000).
Describes how a fast symptomatic fix keeps getting used in place of a slow fundamental one, while the ability to make the real fix withers.
When to reach for it
The same problem coming back despite repeated fixes, or an outsourcing or workaround decision hollowing out a capability.
How it runs
- Name the symptom.
- Name both responses: the quick relief and the fundamental fix.
- Note which one is used each time the symptom returns.
- Invest in the fundamental fix while the relief continues.
- Wind down reliance on the quick fix gradually.
Where it sits in SOLVE eX
Go to the source
- The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, Doubleday/Currency, 1990
- Systems Archetypes I: Diagnosing Systemic Issues and Designing High-Leverage Interventions, Pegasus Communications, 1992
- Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World, McGraw-Hill, 2000