Triple Loop Learning

1. Context
2. Overview
3. Key practices
4. Wisdom dimension

Context

Triple loop learning is a practice to learn from experiences and improve strategic planning.

Overview

Single loop learning is learning from problem-solving. After carrying out a plan, we ask whether our strategy was helpful.

Instead of just asking whether we’re doing things right, Double Loop Learning adds the question: are we doing the right things?

Triple Loop Learning then adds another layer by asking: how good are we at deciding what’s right?

Key practices

Leading reflection on the following questions.

Singe Loop	Double Loop	Triple Loop
What can we improve about how we do x?	Are our assumed goals the correct goals? Are our strategies the right strategies?	How do we set goals? Is that how we want to set goals?
changing actions	changing our approach	changing our perspective or mental models
adaptation	transformation	meta-cognition

Wisdom dimension

Insight. The learning allows to not only infer but also question the approach, offering a new way of seeing an issue.