When to use this combo
You understand a complex system but need to figure out where to intervene. You want to find the highest-leverage points, understand the incentives driving behavior, and anticipate how other actors will respond to your changes.
Is this combo right for you?
Use this combo if you're a strategic systems thinker who wants to change things, not just understand them. You know that most interventions in complex systems fail because they target the wrong point or ignore how other actors will respond. If you think "where can I push to move the whole system?" — this combo is your guide.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Identify Leverage Points in the system — places where a small change can produce large effects. The highest-leverage points are often counterintuitive: changing rules, goals, or mental models beats changing parameters.
Map the Incentives of every actor in the system — what are they rewarded for? What are they punished for? Misaligned incentives explain most "irrational" behavior. Redesign incentives before trying to change behavior.
Use Game Theory to anticipate how other actors will respond to your intervention. Will they cooperate or compete? Is this a zero-sum game or a positive-sum game? Design your strategy for the game you're actually playing.