Digital constellation board: running systemic constellations online

What is a (digital) constellation board?

The “Systembrett” (constellation board) is a classic tool of constellation work: figures, blocks or symbols are placed on a surface to make relationships, roles and distances visible. This is the figure-and-symbol format – intuitive and especially suitable when no representatives are available or abstract systems are to be visualised.

A digital constellation board reproduces this format in the browser. SYSLIA does not work in flat top view but in three-dimensional space: figures can be placed, rotated and viewed from different angles.

What SYSLIA offers

• Create and name elements: people, roles, resources, obstacles, values, goals – anything can be an element of its own. Colour, size and symbol help to tell them apart.
• Position and orientation: closeness, distance and line of sight are shown in 3D space, as in a physical constellation.
• Ego view: experience the system through the eyes of a figure (more on the ego view).
• Variants and scenarios: save and compare system states, such as the status quo and a desired state.
• Export and documentation: capture constellations as JPG or PDF.
• Undo/redo and auto-save: work steps can be reversed.
• Atmosphere: several colour themes and lighting for the right setting.
• Figure sets: additional themed figure and symbol sets in the SYSLIA shop, for example for family, animal or organisational constellations.

Digital and analogue compared

Digital and classic constellations do not exclude each other. The overview below shows how they differ.

What a physical board or a group with representatives offers – haptics, physical presence, resonance in the room – is not replaced by a digital tool. It extends the options where distance, documentation or comparing scenarios matter.

Online sessions

With screen sharing in Zoom, Teams or other conferencing tools, clients see the constellation live. In higher plans, coach and client work together directly in the same 3D scene; the client joins via an invitation link. Which functions are included in which plan is listed under Pricing.

Data protection

SYSLIA is developed in Germany. Registration data is stored encrypted on EU servers in Frankfurt am Main, boards are stored locally in the browser, and there is no tracking. Details are in the privacy policy.

Who is SYSLIA for?

For coaches, supervisors, therapists and organisational consultants who want to offer constellations digitally – from solo practice to training institute. SYSLIA is a professional coaching tool, not a therapeutic instrument (see Criticism and limits). For the basics of the method, see What is a systemic constellation?.