| 1 | Transcending Paradigms | Realization that everything is a mental construct | You can let go of the bathtub entirely if it no longer serves your purpose |
| 2 | Paradigms | Mindset | The shared societal belief that immersing oneself in a porcelain basin of heated, chlorinated water is a desirable way to achieve cleanliness and relaxation. |
| 3 | Goals | The ultimate purpose of the system. | taking a relaxing bath OR storing emergency water |
| 4 | Self-Organization | System’s ability to evolve (on it’s own) | Nonsensical in this example, but it would be like the tub growing a second drain if it sensed an overflow. |
| 5 | Rules | Constraints | Physical laws (gravity), or house rules (don’t fill tub past overflow drain) |
| 6 | Information Flows | Transparency. Being able to see what is happening. | Seeing water levels climb. |
| 7 | Reinforcing Feedback Loops | Self-multiplying Cycle | Nonsensical in this example, but it would be like the faucet automatically opening wider as water levels in the tub increased. |
| 8 | Balancing Feedback Loops | Self-correcting Mechanism | You watching the water level and adjusting the faucet. |
| 9 | Delays | Time between triggers and reactions | Time it takes for water to arrive from water heater. Or time it takes for you to react when you realize the tub is getting too full. |
| 10 | Stock-and-Flow Structures | System design. | Physical plumbing structure. |
| 11 | Buffers | Sizes of Stabilizing Stocks | Changing the bathtub’s size and capacity. |
| 12 | Numbers | Constants and Parameters | Speed at which the water flows from the faucet. |