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Lines and Loops

Projects are defined as having a beginning and an end. By definition, an activity that continues indefinitely is a program, not a project.  This leads most text books and courses to present project management starting at the beginning and finishing at the end. 

Action Inquiry approaches (including action learning and action research) structure projects into cycles. An action inquiry project plan is not made once, then implement. Project planning is revisited in each cycle of the project. 

One interdisciplinary course we coach asks: 'depending on our purpose, should we be thinking in lines or loops at this moment?' and 'How might we
sequence lines and loops during inquiry and action?'

 Our experience (and hypothesis) is that everyone thinks in lines and loops in their personal lives. However, we seem to forget about the loops when given an assignment or complex task. Current students and faculty would suggest that loops and lines represent fundamental tools for project planning and management, personal or group learning (including Action Learning), and improving complex issues, organizations, and phenomena. 

Loops involve systems feedback. Some loops involve 'hard' feedback, and others are about people and their interactions. 

We can draw diagrams of the lines and loops in our own project.  

Source: Adapted by Ian Hughes from contribution to  Arlist by Ian Hughes and Ray William.