Dynamic Systems Analysis
Stage I, Course 1 · 3 credits · 14 weeks · Observation and component identification
Course Purpose
Students learn to observe and analyze systems. This is where systems thinking begins: learning to see the components of any system, the relationships between them, the feedback loops that govern behavior, and how structure determines outcome.
By end: Students can take any complex real-world system and identify its key components, the relationships between them, the feedback loops that drive behavior, and predict qualitatively how the system will respond to disturbances.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion, students will be able to:
- Define a system and its boundary — what's inside, what's outside, why the boundary matters
- Identify components and relationships — what are the parts, how do they interact?
- Recognize feedback loops — positive and negative, and their effect on behavior
- Distinguish stocks and flows — what accumulates, what moves through
- Predict system behavior from structure — qualitatively, before running numbers
- Draw and interpret causal diagrams — the visual language of systems thinking
- Identify delays and non-linearities — why intuition about systems fails
- Apply systems thinking to diverse domains — biological, organizational, technical, social
Core Concepts
Students learn the vocabulary of systems thinking:
system, boundary, component, relationship, feedback, positive-feedback, negative-feedback, stock, flow, delay, non-linearity, causality, causal-diagram, equilibrium, stability, perturbation, resilience, adaptation
Course Structure (14 weeks)
| Week | Topic | Major Assignment |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | What is a system? Boundaries and components | Identify a system and its boundary |
| 3-4 | Stocks, flows, and accumulation | Map stocks and flows in your system |
| 5-6 | Positive and negative feedback | Identify feedback loops |
| 7-8 | Delays and non-linearities | Analyze delays in your system |
| 9-11 | Resilience and stability | Predict behavior under disturbance |
| 12-13 | Adaptation and evolution | Analyze long-term adaptation |
| 14 | Integration and synthesis | Capstone: complete system analysis |
Pedagogical Approach
This course teaches systems thinking primarily through observation of real systems, not through abstract theory. Every concept is grounded in concrete examples students can see or study.
Example systems studied include: thermostats, populations, bank accounts, organizations, ecosystems, markets, and social networks.
Prerequisites for Subsequent Courses
Students completing this course have the foundation needed for all other Stage I courses, especially Course 2 (Mathematics for Dynamic Systems) and Course 3 (Introduction to NCFCA).
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