The course includes literature studies, lectures, seminars (discussions), hand-in exercises, a project work, and presentation. During the course, the students will continuously give feedback on each other’s work. Course literature comprises standard literature within the field as well as recent research articles.

 Areas covered:

• Formulation of dynamic problems
• Fundamental concepts within system thinking and system design (e.g. causality, Little’s Law, feedback)
• Causal Loop Diagrams
• Mental models
• System structures and system archetypes
• Naming convention and ”good practice” with modelling with system dynamics.
• The modelling process
• Validation of system dynamics modell
• Communication using system dynamics models

The course gives the students an introduction to systems thinking and modelling of complex dynamic sociotechnical systems by using the methodology System Dynamics.

 After the course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe central terms and concepts within system thinking
2. Use these concepts to describe events, phenomena, and structures from the real world,
3.  Understand and explain basic system archetypes, including which system behavior that these causes.
4. Describe and analyze systems from a sustainability perspective.
5. Understand how System Dynamics can be used to model information flows and mental models, and to evaluate policies.
6.  Build, validate and analyze System Dynamics models by using Vensim (or another similar software)
7. Formulate complex dynamic problems, and analyze them by using System Dynamics
8. Argue for the results validity
9. Use system thinking and System Dynamics modelling to communicate results to stakeholders and actors

In the course, we will use a flipped-classroom approach, where there is literature to read and assignments to fulfill before each session. The course meetings will primarily be used to discuss the literature and assignments.

The course consists of four modules and a project.

Each module consist of four parts:

• One introduction to the material during a class meeting,
• One home assignment, including reading
• One workshop session on the assignment, with the opportunity to discuss the assignment or additional theory with the teacher and peers.
• One feedback session, where the course participants review each other’s work and provide written feedback to each other.

In the project, the student defines a problem (preferably related to his/her research), and applies the skills learned during the course to build a system dynamics model to explore the problem and communicate the results to a (hypothetical) problem owner.

In the course, we will use the software Vensim to build system dynamics models.

The literature includes research articles and selected sections from J. Sterman (2002) Business Dynamics. System thinking and modeling for a complex world.

Students at KTH with a permanent disability can get support during studies from Funka:

Funka - compensatory support for students with disabilities

Please inform the course coordinator if you need compensatory support during the course. Present a certificate from Funka.

P, F

• INL1 - Hand in exercise, 2.0 credits, Grading scale: P, F
• PRO1 - Project, 3.0 credits, Grading scale: P, F
• SEM1 - Seminars, 0.5 credits, Grading scale: P, F
• SEM2 - Seminars, 0.5 credits, Grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

To pass the course, attendance at at least 80% of seminars is required.

To pass the course, all assignments need to be passed and the student should have provided feedback to a peer on all assignments. In addition, the project needs to be passed.

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.