IS4520 Systems Thinking and Modeling for a complex World

This course introduces system dynamics modeling for the analysis of organizational policy and strategy. Students will learn to visualize an organization in terms of the structures and policies that create dynamics and regulate performance. The goal is to use the analysis and modeling techniques of system dynamics to improve their understanding of how complex organizational structures drive organizational performance, and then to use that understanding to design high-leverage interventions to achieve organizational goals. We use computer-based simulations to model long-term side effects of decisions, systematically explore new strategies, and develop our understanding of complex systems (analogous to the "flight simulators" that pilots use to learn about the dynamics of flying an aircraft). Prerequisites: None.

Lecture Hours

4

Lab Hours

0

Course Learning Outcomes

This course introduces you to Systems thinking for the analysis of organizational policy and strategy. Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able:

 

·      To visualize an organization in terms of the systemic structures and policies that create dynamics and regulate performance.

·      To use the analysis and modeling techniques of System thinking to improve understanding of how complex organizational structures drive organizational performance, and then to use that understanding to design high leverage interventions to achieve organizational goals.

·      To causal loop diagrams of the systemic structures that give rise to different behaviors

·      To interpret the problem symptoms with the available system archetypes.

·      To use system archetypes to show the causes of the problem symptoms.

·      To transform causal loop diagrams to stock flow diagrams.