Causal Layered Analysis (CLA)

Purpose

Causal Layered Analysis (CLA), developed by Sohail Inayatullah, is a critical futures method that deepens strategic thinking beyond surface-level trends. It posits four layers of reality: the litany (observable events and trends), systemic causes (structures and systems), worldview (the lens through which we see the world), and myth/metaphor (the deep story that shapes everything). By working across all four layers, groups can design interventions that go beyond symptoms to transform root narratives.

At a glance

How to run

1. Layer 1: Litany (10 min). What is the issue as typically described in headlines, reports, and everyday conversation? List the observable facts, trends, and events. Keep it descriptive.
2. Layer 2: Systemic Causes (10 min). What systems, structures, policies, or economic forces create the litany? Why does this pattern persist? Think: incentives, regulations, market forces, organizational structures.
3. Layer 3: Worldview (15 min). What worldview or mental model makes these systems seem natural or inevitable? Whose interests does this worldview serve? What assumptions are taken for granted? This is the paradigm layer.
4. Layer 4: Myth/Metaphor (10 min). What is the deep story, archetype, or metaphor underlying everything? What narrative does the organization or society live inside? Example: "Growth is always good" or "We must fight to survive."
5. Design across layers (15 min). For each layer, identify an intervention:

• Litany: What quick wins can address the surface symptoms?
• System: What structural changes would shift the pattern?
• Worldview: What reframing would open new possibilities?
• Myth: What new narrative or metaphor could we adopt?

Materials needed

• Large paper or whiteboard divided into four horizontal layers
• Sticky notes and markers
• Examples of CLA applied to familiar issues
• Timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Staying at the litany. Most groups are comfortable with data and trends. Push deeper.
• Confusing worldview with opinion. Worldview is the water fish swim in — often invisible to the group. Ask: "What would someone from a very different culture find strange about how we see this?"
• Myth layer too abstract. Ground it in specific narratives and metaphors actually used in the organization.
• Not connecting layers to action. CLA is not just analysis — the power is in designing interventions at every level.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Different cultural backgrounds will see different worldviews and myths — this is an asset, not a problem.
• The four layers give analytical, emotional, and narrative thinkers a place to contribute.
• Use visual mapping so all layers are visible simultaneously.
• Provide examples before starting so all participants understand the depth expected.

Variations

• CLA for scenario planning: Use CLA to deepen scenarios beyond surface trends.
• Personal CLA: Apply the four layers to an individual career or life question.
• Comparative CLA: Map two competing issues or strategies side by side.

When NOT to use this

• When the group needs quick tactical decisions, not deep analysis.
• When participants are not willing to question their own worldview.
• When the issue is genuinely simple and does not have deep systemic or narrative roots.

Source & further reading

• Inayatullah, S. (2004). *The Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) Reader*. Tamkang University Press.
• Inayatullah, S. (1998). "Causal Layered Analysis: Poststructuralism as Method." *Futures*, 30(8).
• Slaughter, R. A. (2004). *Futures Beyond Dystopia: Creating Social Foresight*. Routledge.