3.9 Key points

Diagrams can be helpful in:

• understanding a situation;

• analysing a situation;

• communicating with others about that analysis;

• planning to deal with a situation, both logically and creatively; and

• implementing, monitoring and evaluating those plans.

They are therefore used at different times and in different ways within the same investigation and many investigative methods involve these different phases. Systems thinking is also about understanding situations for some purpose, usually to effect some changes. The key is that it does it by representing a chosen system of interest and that is often best done through diagrams.