System Dynamics (SD) Micro-Credentials

System dynamics is important because many of the problems we face today, from corporate struggles to major public policy issues, are the unintended consequences of our own past actions. We often try to solve problems with "fixes that fail" or make things worse because we don't see the underlying feedback loops and time delays that govern the system.

This approach helps to understand and address policy resistance, where well-intentioned solutions are defeated or diluted by the system's response.

It has been used successfully by many leading companies, consulting firms, and government organizations to tackle critical issues.

This course is designed for a broad audience, including managers, engineers, consultants, and students in fields like business, strategic thinking, operations, and public policy. The field itself is fundamentally interdisciplinary, attracting people from diverse backgrounds such as engineering, biology, geophysics, and mathematics. 

 The goal is to improve your understanding of complexity and develop your systems thinking skills, regardless of your specific role or industry 

There are many practical ways system dynamics can be applied, including: 

• Business Strategy: Exploring why companies grow or struggle, learning from the failure of businesses, and creating strategies for industries like low-cost airlines. 

• Operations and Supply Chains: Understanding issues like supply chain disruptions, improving processes for big companies, and enhancing maintenance programs. 

• Public Policy: Tackling global challenges like environmental limits, addressing traffic problems, analyzing drug policies, and improving child protection systems. 

• Economics: Studying patterns like economic cycles, price fluctuations, and market bubbles. 

• Marketing: Understanding how new products spread, like the competition between different video formats in the past. 

• Healthcare and Medicine: Modeling the spread of diseases, optimizing hospital operations, and evaluating public health policies like vaccination programs. 

• Education and Learning Systems: Analyzing education systems, addressing teacher shortages, and designing strategies to improve learning outcomes. 

• Environmental Sustainability: Modeling climate change impacts, resource depletion, and renewable energy adoption. 

• Technology and Innovation: Forecasting the adoption of emerging technologies and understanding their market penetration. 

• Human Resources and Workforce Planning: Modeling workforce dynamics, addressing employee engagement, and planning for organizational change. 

• Energy Systems: Analyzing energy production, consumption, and the transition to renewable sources. 

• Urban Planning and Infrastructure: Understanding urban growth, housing markets, and transportation systems, and planning for long-term infrastructure needs. 

System dynamics is a powerful tool for analyzing and solving complex problems across a wide range of fields. 

There are many practical ways system dynamics can be applied, including: 

• Business Strategy: Exploring why companies grow or struggle, learning from the failure of businesses, and creating strategies for industries like low-cost airlines. 

• Operations and Supply Chains: Understanding issues like supply chain disruptions, improving processes for big companies, and enhancing maintenance programs. 

• Public Policy: Tackling global challenges like environmental limits, addressing traffic problems, analyzing drug policies, and improving child protection systems. 

• Economics: Studying patterns like economic cycles, price fluctuations, and market bubbles. 

• Marketing: Understanding how new products spread, like the competition between different video formats in the past. 

• Healthcare and Medicine: Modeling the spread of diseases, optimizing hospital operations, and evaluating public health policies like vaccination programs. 

• Education and Learning Systems: Analyzing education systems, addressing teacher shortages, and designing strategies to improve learning outcomes. 

• Environmental Sustainability: Modeling climate change impacts, resource depletion, and renewable energy adoption. 

• Technology and Innovation: Forecasting the adoption of emerging technologies and understanding their market penetration. 

• Human Resources and Workforce Planning: Modeling workforce dynamics, addressing employee engagement, and planning for organizational change. 

• Energy Systems: Analyzing energy production, consumption, and the transition to renewable sources. 

• Urban Planning and Infrastructure: Understanding urban growth, housing markets, and transportation systems, and planning for long-term infrastructure needs. 

System dynamics is a powerful tool for analyzing and solving complex problems across a wide range of fields. 

This is a basic course, so you don’t need any prior experience or specific prerequisites to join. However, you should be comfortable using technology, as we’ll be using an online whiteboard and web-based software to model and simulate scenarios. 

Anyone can join; all we ask is that you come with an eager, open mind and a willingness to learn. We promise, you won’t be disappointed! 

Our System Dynamics training covers all the key topics you need to understand and apply this powerful approach. The course strikes the perfect balance between theory and practice, ensuring you not only learn the concepts but also know how to use them in real-world situations. 

We use an interactive delivery model to make learning engaging and effective. Before the training, you'll receive a pre-read guide to help you get familiar with the basics. During the course, we take a modular approach to each topic, combining lectures, group discussions, hands-on activities, reflection exercises, knowledge checks, and a summary of key takeaways. This structure ensures you build a strong foundation while actively applying what you learn. 

Whether you're new to System Dynamics or looking to deepen your skills, this course is designed to meet you where you are and help you grow. 

Yes, upon completing the training, you will receive a Certificate of Attendance from the Systems Thinking Alliance. Additionally, you’ll be awarded a micro-credential digital badge that you can proudly showcase on your social media profiles to highlight your achievement! 

Yes. You are welcome to join any session that fits your schedule, even if it’s offered in a different geographical region or time zone.  

No, the certificate is valid for a lifetime and does not have an expiry date. It’s a permanent recognition of your achievement!