Course Content

List of course topics to be addressed. 

  1. Introduction to Systems Thinking  
    - Looking at the world as a system of systems
    - Systems science and complexity science
    - Systems thinking and methods of decision making
     
  2. Introduction to System Dynamics
    - Components of system dynamics
    - System dynamics qualitative and quantitative modeling
    - Stella Architect software 
     
  3. A Systems Approach to Human Development
    - Concepts and models of development
    - Development challenges 
    - A systems approach to the SDGs
    - Modeling population dynamics
    - System archetypes 
     
  4.  Proposed Methodology
    - Characteristics and Stage
    - Modeling the Development Story
    - From Modeling to Decision-Making

   5.   Nexus+ and Its Components  
       - Landscape Analysis
       - Water Security in the Nexus
       - Energy Security in the Nexus
       - Land and Soil Security in the Nexus
       - Food Security in the Nexus
       - Health security in the Nexus
       - Role of education and governance
       - Security Across the Nexus
       - Indicators and Performance Metrics across the Nexus

    6. Characterizing The Landscape In Which The Nexus Unfolds
       - The Landscape as a System
       - Participatory Landscape Appraisal
       - Core Data and Information
       - Mapping Interactions across the Landscape
       - Human Systems 
       - Natural Systems
       - Engineered Systems
       - Economic Systems
       - From Appraisal to Dynamic Hypotheses

7. Case Studies
      - The Water of Ayole case study
      - Analyzing and modeling the components of a case study
      - Case studies in Uganda

8. System-based Methodology for the Management of Community Projects
     - Role of non-technical issues in all stages of project management
     - Right projects, done right, and for the right reasons. Who decides and participates?
     - Collecting and analyzing data for systems modeling
     - Defining issues and their dynamic hypotheses
     - Social network analysis and GIS
     - Methods of decision making and the importance of perspective (Zoom)
     - Capacity, vulnerability, and risk analysis
     - Developing an implementation plan
     - Failure and the engineering mindset
     - Deciding when faced with uncertainty and complexity
     - Biases and cross-cultural communication
 

  1. Sustainability and Sustainable Development 
    - Definitions
    - Integrating sustainability in community projects
     
  2. Systems Approach to Community Resilience and Security 
    - Importance of context and scale
    - Capacity and vulnerability
    - Critical infrastructure
    - Response to hazards, adverse events, and human migrations