the harbour / tidal.pool
tidal.pool
a systems thinking sandbox. drop elements into the pool, draw connections between them, and watch how everything affects everything else.
scenarios
the water cycle
trace how rainfall flows through soil, water quality, and crop yield. a gentle introduction to how one change ripples through a natural system.
forest ecosystem
a simple forest where rain feeds the soil, soil grows biodiversity, and sunlight drives it all. watch how a reinforcing loop builds — or collapses — from one small change.
the fishing village
a small coastal village depends on fishing for its economy. but the fish population, water quality, and village growth are all connected. can you keep the system in balance?
the farming dilemma
a farm needs investment to grow crops, but intensive farming pollutes the soil. explore the tension between short-term profit and long-term health.
coastal economy
a coastal town where tourism drives the economy but pollution threatens water quality. balancing growth against environmental limits introduces delayed feedback — consequences arrive late.
community wellbeing
education, cooperation, and wellbeing form a reinforcing loop — but only when all three are present. explore what happens when one drops.
urban wellbeing
a city where education, investment, and cooperation shape collective wellbeing — but pollution and unchecked population growth create hidden thresholds. multiple feedback loops interact in ways that are hard to predict.
climate pressure
pollution raises temperature, which threatens biodiversity and water quality. but biodiversity naturally dampens pollution — unless it drops too far.
the whole village
a village depends on farming, clean water, educated people, and cooperation. everything connects to everything else. can you find the leverage points that matter most?
drop
drag elements from the palette into your pool — rainfall, population, education, anything.
connect
shift+click to draw connections. does more rain mean more crops? does pollution reduce wellbeing?
observe
press play and watch the system evolve. see feedback loops emerge and ripple effects spread.
tinker
pause, adjust a variable, and replay. compare outcomes. what happens if you double the investment?