COURSE DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this 5-week long course is to introduce engineering students to system dynamics and its applications in addressing ill-defined and complex development projects. Throughout this course, students will be presented the fundamentals of systems thinking, complexity science, how to model various problems using the STELLA-Pro software, and how to use system dynamics to decide on interventions at the project level. Course Syllabus

COURSE CONTENT

January 16: Course Overview and Introduction - Introduction to Systems Thinking
PPT Pres1


January 18:  A Systems View of the World
Looking at the world as a system of systems; systems science and complexity science; 
system thinking; methods of decision making; simple, complicated, and complex systems
HW Assignment:
     - Read: Chapters 1 and 2 in book by E. Laszlo (distributed in class on Jan 16)
     - Explore the Waters Foundation web site and check Habits of a Systems Thinker. 
       PPT Pres2  


January 23: Introduction to System Dynamics (1)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; Stella Pro software
HW Assignment:
     - Purchase the 6 month STELLA Pro v. 1.1 and load it on your own computer.
       Click here to purchase. A perpetual license is available if you plan on using this software
       in your MS or PhD research. You will need to open an account on the isee systems web site
     - "A leader's framework for decision making" by D. Snowden and M. Boone (2007)
       PPT Pres2


January 25: Introduction to System Dynamics (2)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; Stella Pro software
HW Assignment
     - Browse "An introduction to systems thinking - STELLA software" by B. Richmond (2004)
     - Start studying on your own the SD tutorial (Tutorials 1-3) on isee system web site.
     - "System Dynamics/Systems Thinking: Let's just get on with it" by B. Richmond (1994)
       PPT Pres2


January 30: Introduction to System Dynamics (3)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; Stella Pro software
HW Assignment
     - Browse "An introduction to systems thinking - STELLA software" by B. Richmond (2004)
     -  Continue study SD tutorial (Tutorials 1-3) on isee system web site
     - Complete SD model relating accelaration, speed, and distance discussed on January 25.
     - "Leverage Points: Places to intervene in a system" by D.Meadows. Be ready to
        present examples of leverage points. 


February 1: Introduction to System Dynamics (4)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; Stella Pro software
HW Assignment
     - Browse "An introduction to systems thinking - STELLA software" by B. Richmond (2004)
     - Continue study SD tutorial (Tutorials 1-3) on isee system web site


February 6: Introduction to System Dynamics (5)
HW Assignment:
     - Study SD tutorial on isee system web site (Tutorials 1-4)
     - Bucking the system: systems concepts and development
     - Go to the www.gapminder.org web site, load the Gapminder World software,
        and explore statistics
     - Watch the video: Hans Rosling's 200 countries, 200 years, 4 minutes
     - Work on population chain model.


February 8: Systems Approach to Management of Development Projects (1)
The Water of Ayole case study
HW Assignment:
     - Watch the video: Who sees poverty
     - Watch the video "The Water of Ayole" at https://vimeo.com/6281949
       As you watch the video, answer a series of questions (due on Feb 15).


February 13: Systems Approach to Management of Development Projects (2)
HW Assignment:
Read "System Archetypes " by Braun (2002).  Select one archetype of your choice
        and be ready to present it in class with an illustrative example


February 15: Presentation of projects
Turn in answers to Water of Ayole questions.