Layered Systems Map: experiences & evidence of housing and health

A systems map visually represents the pathways through which the components of a system interact with and relate to one another. This systems map shows how people’s housing is connected to their health outcomes.

This map is constructed from a combination of published evidence on the pathways from housing to health outcomes, and participatory systems mapping carried out with SIPHER’s Community Panels.

The aim is to demonstrate how systems thinking can bring together both grounded lived experience stories and open access research evidence, into one online interactive tool. 

Access SIPHER Layered Systems Map: experiences & evidence of housing and health

Embedded within the map are stories from SIPHER Community Panel members own lived experiences of housing and health inequalities, alongside accessible summaries and further reading from the research evidence base on housing and health. The nodes and pathways shown in red on the map are those that were highlighted as being especially important for Community Panel members, but which received less attention in the evidence base. 

This interactive map was developed using a custom-built tool designed specifically for this purpose – see Resources for more details.

If you're interested in using the SIPHER Layered Systems Map Tool to create your own systems map, please contact: sipher@glasgow.ac.uk

Video Guide -  Layered Systems Map

Video Guide  - SIPHER Layered Systems Map

The menu in the top left-hand corner allows you to explore different sub-maps for a more detailed exploration of themes.

Each sub-map offers:

‘Experience’ boxes with real stories from our Community Panel members about housing and health.

‘Evidence’ boxes with a brief summary of the evidence on the connections.

Resources

  • SIPHER Glossary For clarification of our terminology and use of acronyms.

         

News

  • Previews of New SIPHER Layered Systems Map

    Ellen Stewart provided a special opportunity for our Community panel members to have an exclusive first look at our exciting new SIPHER Layered Systems Map at a farewell event in Glasgow on 2 September 2024. Panel members have been instrumental in helping to shape this new interactive tool and stories from their own lived experiences of housing and health inequalities are embedded within the map. 

Technical Information

Provides technical details of the characteristics including strengths and limitations of causal systems mapping. 

CharacteristicDetails
Purpose Concise visual representations of SIPHER’s policy areas of interest including inclusive economies, public mental health and housing, which captures the causal connections between parts of a system.
Strengths There are a range of causal system mapping approaches, with different strengths and limitations, and the choice of which systems mapping approach to use is determined by the problem. Different systems mapping approaches have been used in SIPHER, including participatory systems mapping and causal loop diagrams. Generally, the strengths of systems mapping are bringing together information from different sources, including documents and stakeholders’ tacit knowledge and presenting it visually, which better reflects the underlying complexity. The maps can bring together a range of perspectives on a topic and be used: to analyse the structure of the system; as tools for thinking and discussion; or developed into quantitative models to test scenarios.
Limitations Complex and comprehensive causal systems maps can be overwhelming and may not be easily useable in policy settings or for computational modelling. In contrast, simplified systems maps may appear more useable but may not capture all relevant variables. Systems maps developed in workshop settings are typically driven by the participants and their understanding of the system, therefore the maps developed reflect participants’ knowledge and experience.
Variables Multiple systems maps have been developed for different policy areas of interest and different policy partners; variables are dependent on the maps.
Examples / Link with Other Models and Data A causal loop diagram connecting the SIPHER Inclusive Economy indicators underlies the Inclusive Economy Dynamical Systems model.
Additional Resources

Explore more on SIPHER’s approach to Systems Mapping