Solving complexity at the root with Causal Layered Analysis (CL
Why do some strategies fail despite perfect data? Because we often treat the symptom while ignoring the disease. Causal Layered Analysis (CLA), pioneered by futurist Sohail Inayatullah, is the "pickaxe" of Strategic Foresight: it allows you to break the surface of "Litany" (what happens) to descend into the systemic, cultural, and mythological depths of the problem.
By using this Toolbox, you won't just find technical solutions: you will identify the new narratives needed to transform your organization's DNA. It is the ultimate tool for tackling Wicked Problems and moving from linear problem solving to transformative Futures Design.
Change the metaphor, change the future. From reacting to symptoms to rewriting deep paradigms.
How to use the Causal Layered Analysis Toolbox
Step 1: Deconstruction (CLA Problem Definition)
Don't trust the surface. Use the first canvas to "dismantle" the current problem layer by layer.
- Litany: What is the official, visible issue?
- Systems: What technical or bureaucratic structures fuel it?
- Worldview: What cultural beliefs or stakeholders support this status quo?
- Myth: What is the unconscious metaphor or deep story preventing change?
Goal: Find the true root of the strategic block.
Step 2: Reconstruction (CLA Solution Definition)
Now design the desirable future. Climb back up by creating new coherence.
- New Myth: Define the new inspiring metaphor that will drive change.
- New Vision: How does corporate culture change with this new story?
- New Systems: What processes, KPIs, and incentives support this vision?
- New Litany: What will be the new visible, measurable results of this future?
Goal: Align operational strategy with the new future narrative.
Frequently asked questions about Causal Layered Analysis
What is Causal Layered Analysis (CLA)?
Causal Layered Analysis, created by futurist Sohail Inayatullah, is the Strategic Foresight method that digs beneath the surface of problems: it breaks through the "Litany" (what happens and is visible) to descend into the systemic, cultural, and mythological layers that generate it. The TIPIC toolbox translates it into two operational canvases.
What are the four levels of CLA?
Litany: the official, visible problem. Systems: the technical and bureaucratic structures feeding it. Worldview: the cultural beliefs and stakeholders sustaining the status quo. Myth: the unconscious metaphor, the deep story preventing change. The true root of a strategic block almost always lies in the lower layers.
When should you use CLA?
When strategies fail despite perfect data: that is the sign you are treating the symptom while ignoring the disease. CLA is the tool for "wicked problems" — complex, hidden problems — and for moving from linear problem solving to transformative Futures Design. It is also the ideal preparatory exercise for the Problem Statement.
How do you use the CLA Toolbox?
Two movements: deconstruction (CLA Problem Definition), which dismantles the current problem layer by layer down to the deep myth; and reconstruction (CLA Solution Definition), which climbs back up in reverse — new myth, new worldview, new systems, new litany — aligning operational strategy with the new future narrative.
Where can I download the Causal Layered Analysis Toolbox?
You can download TIPIC's CLA Toolbox for free from this page, in English and Italian, with the Problem Definition and Solution Definition canvases to deconstruct problems and redesign deep paradigms.
