Course Details
Systems Thinking
1 Jul 2014
Professional Development
Leadership
Victoria University Professional and Executive Development
Level 2, Rutherford House, 23 Lambton Quay, Wellington City
Two Days
9:00am - 4.30pm
9:00am - 4.30pm
$695.00
Victoria University Staff 15% Discount Fee $590.75 excl GST
Victoria University Staff 15% Discount Fee $590.75 excl GST
In a world of growing complexity, many of today's problems are the results of unanticipated side effects of actions by managers, policy makers and governments all over the world. Systems thinking tools and approaches have been developed to help understand and deal with the complexity underlying business, economics, environmental, political and social systems.
This practical one and half day course will focus on the qualitative system dynamics approach to systems thinking. The emphasis will be on applying tools that help you understand complexity, design better operating policies, and guide effective change from a 'holistic' systems thinking perspective.
Who Should Attend:
Professionals, managers, analysts and decision makers from all sectors and organisations, including CEOs and senior managers will benefit from this workshop. This includes the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.. The course will challenge current ways of thinking, as well as approaches to strategy and policy formulation.
Learning Objectives:
* Understand some of the different approaches to systems thinking and group model building Develop causal loop diagrams (CLD) for policy and decision analysis
* Analyse balancing and reinforcing feedback loops within CLDs
* Interpret the dynamic behaviour generated by CLDs
* Identify leverage points in managed systems
* Develop intervention strategies to improve system behaviour
* Practise concepts and tools learnt on a relevant problem or issue
Course Topics:
* Introduction to systems concepts and different approaches to 'Systems Thinking'
* Examining the idea of 'causality' in managed systems
* Constructing causal loop diagrams
* Identifying and analyzing feedback loops
* Considering behaviour over time charts & interpreting dynamic behaviour of main variables
* Discussing Peter Senge's systems archetypes of generic patterns of behaviour in social systems
* Identifying leverage points within systems & developing intervention strategies
* Group model building approaches
* Practical take-home exercises
Course Format:
This course is taught over two consecutive days.
Teaching will be done in an interactive tutorial style, including some lecturing, but predominantly small group exercises on systems thinking related tasks. The teaching philosophy underlying this workshop is that participants learn most effectively when they are engaged in applied learning tasks after being introduced to the theoretical material.
Course materials include the systems thinking textbook by Maani, K.E. and Cavana, R.Y. (2007). Systems Thinking, System Dynamics - Managing Change and Complexity. Pearson Education NZ (Prentice Hall), Auckland
Tuesday, 1 November 2011 9:00am - 4:30pm Workshop
Wednesday, 2 November 2011 9:00am - 4:30pm Workshop
This practical one and half day course will focus on the qualitative system dynamics approach to systems thinking. The emphasis will be on applying tools that help you understand complexity, design better operating policies, and guide effective change from a 'holistic' systems thinking perspective.
Who Should Attend:
Professionals, managers, analysts and decision makers from all sectors and organisations, including CEOs and senior managers will benefit from this workshop. This includes the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.. The course will challenge current ways of thinking, as well as approaches to strategy and policy formulation.
Learning Objectives:
* Understand some of the different approaches to systems thinking and group model building Develop causal loop diagrams (CLD) for policy and decision analysis
* Analyse balancing and reinforcing feedback loops within CLDs
* Interpret the dynamic behaviour generated by CLDs
* Identify leverage points in managed systems
* Develop intervention strategies to improve system behaviour
* Practise concepts and tools learnt on a relevant problem or issue
Course Topics:
* Introduction to systems concepts and different approaches to 'Systems Thinking'
* Examining the idea of 'causality' in managed systems
* Constructing causal loop diagrams
* Identifying and analyzing feedback loops
* Considering behaviour over time charts & interpreting dynamic behaviour of main variables
* Discussing Peter Senge's systems archetypes of generic patterns of behaviour in social systems
* Identifying leverage points within systems & developing intervention strategies
* Group model building approaches
* Practical take-home exercises
Course Format:
This course is taught over two consecutive days.
Teaching will be done in an interactive tutorial style, including some lecturing, but predominantly small group exercises on systems thinking related tasks. The teaching philosophy underlying this workshop is that participants learn most effectively when they are engaged in applied learning tasks after being introduced to the theoretical material.
Course materials include the systems thinking textbook by Maani, K.E. and Cavana, R.Y. (2007). Systems Thinking, System Dynamics - Managing Change and Complexity. Pearson Education NZ (Prentice Hall), Auckland
Tuesday, 1 November 2011 9:00am - 4:30pm Workshop
Wednesday, 2 November 2011 9:00am - 4:30pm Workshop
A/Prof Bob Cavana is an Associate Professor in Systems Management with the Victoria Management School. He holds a PhD in Management (System Dynamics) from the University of Bradford, England. He has undertaken a wide range of systems thinking studies with public and private sector organizations in New Zealand. His co-authored books include Systems Thinking, System Dynamics: Managing Change and Uncertainty (Pearson Education NZ, Auckland, 2007) and Applied Business Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods (Wiley, Brisbane, 2001; Chinese edition 2004). He was previously a Vice President of the International System Dynamics Society; and is currently a Managing Editor of System Dynamics Review