Causal Layered Analysis (CLA)

What is Causal Layered Analysis?

Causal Layered Analysis (abbreviated as CLA) is a group sense-making technique used to explore the underlying causes and worldviews contributing to a situation. Working together, groups made up of people representing different perspectives respond to a central question with:

• Litany: how they "feel" about it
• Causes: what's creating the situation
• Worldview: the perspectives shaping it
• Myths: the underlying stories feed it

The results of a CLA exercise are often shown as an iceberg, with the Problem visible above the water, and the Litany, Causes, Worldviews, and Myths shown progressively larger below the water. When complete, groups use the CLA to better understand the problem and inform their vision of the future.

Benefits of Causal Layered Analysis (CLA)

Some of the benefits of CLA are:

• Expands the range and richness of scenarios;
• When used in a workshop setting, it leads to the inclusion of different ways of knowing among participants;
• Appeals to and can be used by a wider range of individuals as it incorporates non-textual and poetic/artistic expression in the futures process.
• Layers participant's positions (conflicting and harmonious ones);
• Moves the debate/discussion beyond the superficial and obvious to the deeper and marginal;
• Allows for a range of transformative actions;
• Leads to policy actions that can be informed by alternative layers of analysis;
• Reinstates the vertical in social analysis, ie from postmodern relativism to global ethics;