Course Information

What to expect?

Systems thinking is more than just a toolkit; it's an initiation into an attitude that offers a lens to perceive the complexity and dynamism of our world. Through this course, learners will develop the essential attitude of thinking in systems, reflecting on thought patterns, comprehending relationships, connections, and interrelations, and exploring a wide variety of disciplines. By the end, students will be equipped with both the imaginative and technical aspects of systems thinking, ready to face uncertainty with creativity, intuition, and critical analytical skills.

Learning Objectives

In this course you will learn about

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the fundamental concepts of systems thinking.

  • Reflect on personal ways of learning and thought processes.

  • Recognize relationships, connections, and patterns in various disciplines.

  • Master technical tools for mapping complex systems.

  • Apply systems thinking in various fields and in solving real-world problems.

Course curriculum

  • 1
  • 2

    Systems Thinking: The Yin Side

    • 1) Wholeness vs Fragmentation

    • 2) The Four Levels of Understanding

    • 3) Solving Versus Dissolving Problems

    • 4) Understanding Emergence

    • 5) Wandering and Lateral Thinking

    • 6) Patterns that Connect: Diving Deep Into Metaphors

  • 3

    Systems Thinking: The Yang Side

    • 1) Models, Conceptualization and Sensemaking

    • 2) Introduction to Causal Loop Diagrams

    • 3) Creating Simple Causal Loop Diagrams

    • 4) Creating Advanced Causal Loop Diagrams

Instructor

Arash Golnam

Instructor

Arash Golnam has a background in industrial engineering, systems sciences, and psychoanalysis. He has over 12 years of experience in applying systems thinking principles in education and consulting.