UNSW Canberra

Transforming Complexity into Clarity: A System Dynamics Approach

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Enrol in upcoming courses

This course actively introduces participants to the state-of-the-art concepts and tools of System Dynamics (SD) and their practical applications in complex decision-making and problem-solving across various fields.

This intensive short course and its individual modules will provide you with essential modeling strategies and showcase diverse applications from the field of complex system modeling.
Standard price

$900-$1,900.00

Duration

1 or 2 days

Delivery mode

Hybrid – In-Person or Online

Location

Canberra

Overview

The program consists of two System Dynamics modules: Beginner and Intermediate levels.

In addition, participants will have the opportunity to learn relevant software tools used in SD modelling. This practical aspect of the course will equip participants with essential skills to build and simulate SD models, enhancing their ability to tackle complex problems and make informed decisions.

Through this course, participants will gain comprehensive knowledge, practical skills, and relevant software proficiency in SD, enabling them to approach complex problems and decision-making with confidence.
 

Duration

Each module runs for one day, comprising four 90-minute sessions, including two 15-minute tea breaks and one 45-minute lunch break. Participants can choose to enrol in the complete course, which covers both modules, or select individual modules to suit their specific learning needs.

Who should attend

This course is designed to accommodate a diverse audience, including:

  • Decision makers such as government agencies and industry managers/practitioners to help identify problem intervention and new areas of investment.
  • Researchers and academics who are seeking a new research tool.
  • Students studying across defence, business, public health and engineering might find these courses complement or connecting the key ideas learnt from other courses.

Prerequisites

  • A laptop computer and freely available SD modelling package are required.
  • Required Software SD modelling (VensimPLE) package is freely available.

Facilitator

Dr. Oz Sahin is an expert systems modeller, specializing in managing assets and resources, assessing risks, and adapting to climate change. His research interests include sustainable built environments, climate change adaptation, risk assessment, integrated water-energy-climate modelling, decision support systems, coupled System Dynamics and GIS modelling, Bayesian Network modelling, multiple criteria decision analysis, and operational research methods. With over 160 publications, Dr. Sahin has made significant contributions to systems modelling, showcasing his in-depth knowledge and expertise.

Contact information

For further information or to request a quotation, please contact the Professional Education Courses Unit on:

T: (02) 5114 5573

Enquiry form

In-house delivery

UNSW Canberra Short courses may be available for in-house delivery at your organisation's premises. In-house courses allow maximum attendance without the additional travel costs. Courses can be developed to suit the specific staff development and training needs of your organisation. Recommended for groups of 10 or more.

Learning outcomes

By completing this course, learners will be able to:

  • Identify and describe the components of a complex system.
  • Understand and explain a fundamental of system dynamics concepts and principles.
  • Build a model of the system using the software package (Learning by doing experience)
  • Run model simulations to investigate policy options under a range of scenarios

Course outline

Day 1: System Dynamics

  • Overview of Systems Approach
  • Modelling steps and procedures
  • System Dynamics Tool – introduction to SD software Vensim PLE
  • The most common behaviour and structures of dynamic systems
  • Dynamics of Stocks and Flows
  • Model building exercise (Group/individual)

Day 2: System Dynamics

  • Generic behaviour patterns in System Dynamics Models – unconstrained growth/decay; s-shaped growth; goal seeking behaviour; and oscillation.
  • Vensim model examples – Individual simulation experiments, making custom graph, making custom table.
  • Prey & Predator model (competition)
  • Construct a model of the scenario and explore the tragedy of the commons.
  • Using your model, simulate and analyse several strategies.

Cancellation policy

Courses will be held subject to sufficient registrations. UNSW Canberra reserves the right to cancel a course up to five working days prior to commencement of the course. If a course is cancelled, you will have the opportunity to transfer your registration or be issued a full refund. If registrant cancels within 10 days of course commencement, a 50% registration fee will apply. UNSW Canberra is a registered ACT provider under ESOS Act 2000-CRICOS provider Code 00098G.