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Map one recurring problem and choose one intervention

The capstone project for Systems Thinking for Nigerian Life and Business — a free Civic & Life Skills course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A written systems brief of roughly 700 to 1,200 words containing: the problem and three dated real occurrences; the behaviour-over-time story with evidence; a described or photographed causal loop map labelled with at least one stock, its inflows and outflows, two loops marked R or B, and one delay with its length; one tested prediction plus an honest statement of what the map gets wrong and what in the problem is not structural; three ranked leverage points classified by type; and one chosen 30-day intervention with cost, first measurable sign of success, and at least two likely side effects with your response to the unwanted one.

What to do, step by step

  1. Pick ONE problem that has come back at least three times in your own life, business, household or community, and write down the three most recent times it happened with dates and real figures — how much money, how many days, how many customers, how many trips. If the problem involves other people's private information, use first names or initials only and round any personal amounts.
  2. Write the behaviour-over-time story in one short paragraph: what the pattern has been over the last six to twelve months, whether it is getting worse, steady or swinging up and down, and what evidence you have for that (bank alerts, a notebook, stock counts, WhatsApp messages, your own tally).
  3. Draw the map by hand on paper or in any drawing app, photograph or describe it in your submission, and label it clearly: at least one stock with the flows that fill and drain it, at least TWO feedback loops each marked R (reinforcing) or B (balancing) with the direction of each arrow, and at least ONE delay marked on the arrow where it sits, with the length of that delay in days or weeks.
  4. Test the map against reality before you trust it: state one thing the map predicts should have happened, check whether it actually did, and say honestly what the map gets wrong or cannot explain. Name at least one part of the problem that is NOT structural — a person's choice, a bad actor, or plain bad luck — so the map does not become an excuse.
  5. List at least three leverage points on your map and say what kind each one is (a flow rate, a rule, an information flow, a goal, or a mental model), then rank them from weakest to strongest and explain in two or three sentences why the popular fix people usually reach for is one of the weaker ones.
  6. Choose ONE intervention you can actually start within 30 days, and write: exactly what you will do, which arrow or loop on the map it touches, what it costs in naira and hours, the first measurable sign it is working, at least two likely side effects including one you would not want, and what you will do if the side effect shows up.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
The problem is real and specific: three dated occurrences with actual figures (naira, days, counts, customers) rather than a general complaint, plus a behaviour-over-time description backed by named evidence20%
The map is structurally complete and correct: at least one named stock with its inflows and outflows, at least two loops each labelled R or B with arrow directions that hold up when traced around the loop, and at least one delay placed on a specific arrow with a stated length25%
The map is tested and honest: one stated prediction checked against what actually happened, an explicit statement of what the map gets wrong or cannot explain, and at least one named non-structural factor such as a personal choice, a bad actor or bad luck20%
Leverage points are identified and ranked: at least three, each classified as a flow rate, rule, information flow, goal or mental model, ranked weakest to strongest, with a reasoned explanation of why the popular fix sits low on that ranking20%
The intervention is actionable and its consequences are anticipated: one action startable within 30 days, tied to a named arrow or loop, with naira and hours cost, a first measurable sign of success, at least two side effects including one unwanted, and a stated response to it15%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Systems Thinking for Nigerian Life and Business before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Systems Thinking for Nigerian Life and Business is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters). You can mention a public link to supporting files in the write-up. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Systems Thinking for Nigerian Life and Business is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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