This pre-recorded course of 2h 07 minutes plus exercises originally took a 6h day to work through.
System dynamics modelling, often referred to as stock-flow modelling, is an accessible approach to understanding change in complex systems. It is based on the principle that system structure determines behaviour over time as system outcomes, or performance, emerges. The approach builds on an appreciation of systems thinking and therefore challenges a linear cause and effect paradigm to recognise feedback, delays and potential unintended consequences.
The approach is used to consider potential changes in system pathways and to ask ‘what-if’ questions about key assumptions or policies that are in play in that system. It provides a way of forecasting future behaviour, and therefore the resources necessary to realise that future, through exploring actions or policies. It creates a safe-place to test or assure yourself that proposed changes are likely to generate the desired outcomes.
Systems modelling relies on clear issue definition, boundary setting and the sharing of mental models held in the minds of stakeholders seeking to achieve a stated common purpose. The process helps to address challenges of language, perception, narrow spheres of knowledge and a range of other factors crucial to achieve organisational or system goals. As this approach is informed by, rather than dictated to by the data we hold, it also provides a useful basis on which to test the consistency, comprehensiveness and relevance of that data.
System Dynamics is therefore well aligned to improvement methodologies that rely on constant discovery, experimentation and insight building, reflecting a central premise in the world of systems modelling that all models are wrong, but some are useful!
Objectives
By the end of this training, you should understand
- What it means to ‘think in systems’ and to use the fundamentals of systems thinking to help diagnose the potential contributors to system sub-optimisation or failure.
- How to develop and use causal loop diagrams to help to understand system behaviour and recognise system architypes such as fixes that fail.
- The fundamentals of stock-flow modelling and how this reflects and builds on a systems thinking paradigm.
- How systems dynamics complements and contributes to a portfolio of analytical and modelling approaches.
- How you might go ahead and apply systems thinking and system dynamics modelling in your organisation.
Trainer
This course is delivered by Peter Lacey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-lacey-8860786/). Peter is an experienced strategy consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the health and care sector. A systems thinker and practitioner skilled in System Dynamics, data analysis, strategic planning, scenario planning and the relational dimensions of systems. Strong entrepreneurship professional with an MBA from Durham and an MA in Applied Professional Ethics from University of Leeds.
This material is Copyright and should not be used without discussions with the trainer.