Introduction 

A language has a powerful impact on the way we perceive and act upon reality. It equips us not only with different words, but also with new ways to relate to the phenomena around and within us.

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This module provides you with a precise visual language to map cause-effect relationships and form a big picture view of interdependencies, contextual and temporal factors in complex problematic situations.​ By complex problematic situations, we mean situations in which cause and effects are intertwined the implications of decisions are uncertain, and policy interventions are distorted and delayed.

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Learning this visual language helps you describe, examine, and structure such complex situations  in a new way, identify potential unintended consequences of your decisions, develop awareness of the sources of policy resistance, and ultimately enables you to make informed choices.

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Audience

If you would like to...

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• ​Re-iterate examine design problems in novel and though provoking ways

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• Capture and make explicit, refine and improve the mental models and perceptions of complex problems,

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• Move beyond an event- or data-oriented approach to problem solving and surface systemic structures that generate patterns of behavior

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• Improve quality of organizational dialogue and facilitate shared understanding and consensus amongst participants within your team,

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• Learn in and about complexity...

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...then this course is for you.

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Topics 

• On Complexity: Dynamic versus detailed, systematic versus systemic, and symptomatic versus fundamental solutions

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• Systems Archetypes: Limits to growth, shifting the burden, fixes that fail

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• Dynamic Behavior Graphs: Historical dynamics, anticipated dynamics and preferred dynamics

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• System Variables: Endogenous, Exogenous and Excluded variables

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• Feedback Loops: Reinforcing (growth and decay) and balancing (goal seeking)

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