System Dynamics 101

  An innovative product or service turns the corner and is no longer innovative. What have you observed managers might do in response? What are the key drivers of innovation in your experience?

In this week's share we consider extreme projects. These might be the ongoing series of all-nighters with team furiously working to a very hard deadline. They might be that one project which we all would like to forget, as it collapsed all around us, spectacularly failed  by all accounts. The one we could never bring back from the brink. There there might be that one project where everything went right! How did that happen? Recalling all of the Non-Disclosure Agreements, and good sense too, you have signed, be sure to anonymize any references to projects, people, even events. Name the myths, mind-sets, paradigms, worldviews you encountered during your best, and worst, days on a project. Consider how would you represent the paradigm. Why might you want to keep it the way it is, or find a way to topple it? In your example of your worst-case project experience, who were the most vulnerable participants in the project? Is there a leverage point in the project you might use to produce ...

  **The Mud Room**  is where we can air grievances and joys, record and resolve issues, otherwise share experiences. It will also serve as our Vensim User Group (VUG?).

  Relative to the discussion in Pruyt and Kwakkel (2007) (Week 2 > Share > Reading 3), What are some ways in which systems thinking might facilitate the discussion of ethical issues for decision makers and their analysts? What is our experience of Vensim this second week out? More issues or fewer? How much time are we spending on the assignments?

 Here's a reprise of Week 1's work. By the way, excellent and substantive explanations in your Workbooks! (There are still 10 folks out there who have yet to submit their work -- plenty of time, but the weeks are counting down already!) Here is a screenshot of a scenario I conjured up on my workbench last night. I know you are very busy with life and Week 2's stash of modeling challenges, but let's attempt to tell the story this scenario might support. Hint: I use a STEP() function in the initial_A  variable input to the initial value of Capital_A. We all look forward to your florid prose. Thanks and Peace. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For further reference here is link to the course site. I tend to update the content frequently when the course is in full swing at Manhattan College (Spring 2024: January 16th through March 4th) System Dynamics 101

Be sure to introduce yourselves to one another in Welcome to System Dynamics post on the WALL.  For this week's sharing please answer these questions: What might I expect to learn from this course? Describe your experience of downloading VensimPLE and building your first model? Who are my team mate(s)?

 WELCOME to System Dynamics 101. This blog, THE WALL, will be our vehicle to communicate with one another throughout the 7 weeks of this course. First, of all, please introduce yourselves. Second, post your 2  to 3 person teams. Third, post any questions or concerns you might have. That third point is critical: this forum will serve as our way to grow experience and understanding of the models we will be building and interpreting all term. Be sure to encourage one another daily -- while it is still today! Thanks, Bill