There are a number of software packages that you can use to design causal loop diagrams. Here are a few examples:

Vensim (free): http://vensim.com

STELLA (free 30 days trial): http://www.iseesystems.com/softwares/Education/StellaSoftware.aspx

AnyLogic (free trial): http://www.anylogic.com/

I personally prefer Vensim to design a CLD.

There are a number of software packages that you can use to design causal loop diagrams. Here are a few examples:

Vensim (free): http://vensim.com

STELLA (free 30 days trial): http://www.iseesystems.com/softwares/Education/StellaSoftware.aspx

AnyLogic (free trial): http://www.anylogic.com/

I personally prefer Vensim to design a CLD.

I use Vensim. The PLE version is free. It is quite good for causal Loop diagrams but its main core is System Dynamics (stock-flow) diagrams. It is probably the most powerful package in terms of computing capabilities, but the visuals are not on par with Stella or Powersim or AnyLogic. But the PLE version is free and if you just want to make CLDs then it will probably suit you.

I would also agree that Vensim and PLE are suitable for your needs of creating CLDs. But for really "good looking" CLDs I have been drawing them with CorelDraw suite, but of course that is a matter of personal preference.

Hi Gregory,

I'd say it depends on whether you want something just to draw CLDs or whether you want to be able to simulate/analyze the CLDs too. I've tried several pieces of software over the years. For small diagrams and where the structure of the CLD is relatively fixed I usually just draw the graph in Powerpoint and do a lot of the numerical analysis in Excel (like Alessandro says, why not Excel?). For more complex graphs I use R or a wonderful piece of software called Axon (http://web.singnet.com.sg/~axon2000/). Axon saves graphs as Prolog files. I have a little prolog script which takes the Axon graph definition and turns it into the corresponding adjacency matrix which is a useful starting point for many analyses. The Loop Group at OSU Corvallis used to have a nice CLD drawing package called Powerplay which also generated adjaceny matrices in Maple-readable format, but I don't think Powerplay is available for download anymore, but some of its functions are available as a web application. The free symbolic maths software Maxima has graph theory packages which will draw graphs (=networks = CLDs) too. Along the lines of Vensim and Stella, the visual modelling software Simile (http://www.simulistics.com/) can also be used to draw CLDs, although its main intended use (like Stella) is to build dynamic simulation models and analyze them using numerical integration. There are also some pieces of free software out there based on Java - run a Google search on "free fuzzy cognitive map software".

CLDs are a graphical representation of tecno-social problems, a systems thinking tool. That's why SD packages with CLD capabilities are, IMO, the most adequate. There is one that nicely uses both. It is iModeler from the German company Consideo.

Just to use the graphical capabilities of graph handling software, I suggest what I consider a very good free Excel add-in named NodeXL. It also exports to adjacency matrices and, for graph analyzing people, has quite interesting graph analysis tools.

I Think is the name of the software used in systems dynamics and it is capable of draw CLD

"I THINK" is the name of the software used in systems dynamics and it is capable of draw CLD

I used Vensim, PLE version is free, but not a full version http://vensim.com. STELLA is other software I've used, but not free. Alternatively R 'GNU S' and, although it is more complicated to use than most potential R. More information http://cran.r-project.org/

http://www.r-bloggers.com/r-tools-for-dynamical-systems-r-pplane-to%C2%A0draw%C2%A0phase%C2%A0planes/

http://www.r-project.org/conferences/useR-2009/slides/Petzoldt.pdf

I use STELLA 10, with great results and nice CLD drawing. But, free only for 30 days, without saving capabilities. Recently, isee systems released STELLA modeler for ipad, which have an affordable price (around 40 $) when compared with the desktop version.

I've used both. The ipad version is very nice, but some features are not available (e.g. sin or cos functions - at least for now). However, it might suite your needs, depending on the complexity of the model you want to build. If you need to know about the features of the desktop or ipad version, let me know.

You may look at PowerSim also!

Vensim PLE is usually enough for CLD's but is not enough as a full fledged SD modelling tool (for instance, PLE does not use use max and min values for stocks in the equation editor, in spite of the possibility of entering such values).

Although not as powerful as STELLA, iThink, PowerSim or Vensim, you may also want to check SistemiTool: http://www.boardmansauser.com/thoughts/system_itool.html

http://www.boardmansauser.com/thoughts/system_itool.html

Has anybody tried Kumu.io?

Has anybody tried Insight Maker (https://insightmaker.com/features) ?

I have tried Insight Maker. Not a CLD tool but an interesting experiment in easing the problem of communicating stock-flow models.

I think Kumu has a different goal, which is relating things. Not a CLD tool.

vensim is powerful tool for Dynamic modelling

bests..

all of the softwares doing same.

stella , vensim, i think and ...

but you can use the vensim for some features such as auto model validation.

Im agree with Ehsan

Tere are some software. I use vensim and Stella. And now you can use R for dinámica modelling too.

You might want to take a look at: http://www.boardmansauser.com/thoughts/system_itool.html

You may try Mind mapping software. Very easy and simple.

You might want to try this one: https://www.plectica.com/ - ".. Work on maps separately, or build them together in real-time. "