This pre-recorded course of 31 minutes plus exercises originally took a 2-3h session to work through in a group.
This is the first session of a pair (5 & 6) that could sensibly be taken together, and they are part of a ten-session Foundations of Applied Systems Thinking course.
This session covers three main topics:
- Essentials of system behaviour: the relationships (interactions) between variables.
- Understanding Causal Loop Diagrams.
- Using Causal Loop Diagrams for collaborative learning.
During the session, we will take you through the following methods, tools and models: system variables, relationships and loops (balancing and reinforcing); Causal Loop diagrams and their notation.
Objectives
Following this session, you will:
- Understand the looped nature of systems and how the interaction of system variables results in system behaviour (performance).
- Learn how to read and to annotate Causal Loop Diagrams.
- Learn how to use Causal Loop Diagrams to understand system behaviour.
- Understand how perspective, purpose, and boundary shape your models of systems.
- See systems as dynamic and adaptive (ie complex adaptive systems).
Trainer
These courses are delivered by John Rogers, a Systems Thinking Consultant & Practitioner.
John Rogers is an accomplished systems thinking consultant and former public sector leader with over 30 years of experience driving purposeful, systemic improvement in complex, multi-agency environments. As Director of Entelechy Consulting and Systems Practitioner Assessment Ltd, he advises, trains, and assesses leaders and organisations in systems thinking, with recent work including frameworks and training for NHS Integrated Care Systems. Formerly Head of Systems Thinking at Wiltshire Council, he led transformative initiatives across children’s services, adult social care, and policing, and pioneered immersive systems training for 1,500 staff. John combines deep practical expertise with a background in consultancy, leadership, and clinical practice, and is a driving force in shaping systems thinking education and standards in the UK.
This material is Copyright and should not be used without discussions with the trainer.