Out of the Loop: Enhancing Documentation and Transparency in Causal Loop Diagrams to Capture Multiple Perspectives

Keywords

Causal loop diagram, Collaborative, Conceptual Modelling, Systems thinking, Documentation

Abstract

Collaborative causal loop diagrams (C-CLDs) help decision makers to model complex systems and processes, but existing tools offer little support for documenting the model-building process or capturing the provenance of stakeholder contributions. In this paper, we map the C-CLD design space to derive concrete requirements for documentation and transparency. We introduce Perspectiva, an interactive prototype shaped by those requirements and refined through iterative feedback. Perspectiva enables side-by-side navigation and comparison of CLDs, codifies changes and conflicting relationships, and preserves term provenance and contributor attribution. Its core features include anchored nodes for topological consistency, node interaction, hover-activated provenance pop-ups, and colour-coded encodings. In user studies with domain and visualisation experts, participants reported that Perspectiva improved navigation, comparison, and provenance tracking relative to static diagrams as well as highlighting opportunities for enhancement and future research.