This course is part of the Systems Thinking for Sustainability: Complex Systems Analysis ExpertTrack
Systems Thinking for Sustainability: Analyzing and Transitioning Complex Systems
Explore complex systems analysis structures, through which you can design strategic interventions to drive sustainable change.
Duration
3 weeksWeekly study
4 hoursIncluded in an ExpertTrack
Course 1 of 3
Systems Thinking for Sustainability: Analyzing and Transitioning Complex Systems
Take a structured approach to systems analysis
Systems analysis is a key tool in driving sustainable changes using systems thinking. Before you can drive systems change, you need to understand how a system works, and the roles and influence of its components so that you can analyse that information to derive meaningful learnings.
Armed with a robust analysis structure, you’ll be able to wade through complex social phenomena to become a more effective change-maker in your area of influence.
Upon completion of this course, you’ll be acquainted with the practice of analysing complex systems and translating your learnings into sound sustainability strategies.
Design actionable interventions for sustainable change
Systems analysis and design play a central role in driving systems change. This course will lay a foundation for your implementation of systems change by giving you the theoretical tools for systems analysis.
You’ll learn to break down complex systems into their different dimensions of time, space, and context. This will allow you to see where you can influence strategic interventions to drive sustainable change. You’ll consider how different interventions can have different scales of impact: direct, indirect, or systematic. You’ll also explore different approaches to complex systems thinking, such as reductionist, holistic, and symbiotic methodologies.
The course focuses on driving meaningful and actionable sustainable change. You will, therefore, explore different strategies for creating roadmaps for large-scale changes, to bring your sustainability goals into reach.
What topics will you cover?
- How to break down systems in dimensions of time, space, and context, to better understand them.
- How to analyze strategic interventions across different scales of impact - i.e. direct impact, indirect impact, systemic impact.
- Different approaches in complex systems thinking - reductionist, holistic, and symbiotic.
- Different strategies for visualizing large-scale transitions on roadmaps that makes them tangible.
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Learning on this course
You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Identify the main concepts underlying sustainability, and its relevance in our society today.
- Explore basic principles of systems thinking and network theory applied to sustainability.
- Access optimized versions of iterative design thinking.
- Perform quick impact scans across different dimensions of sustainability, enlarging your scope of impact.
- Evaluate the way success is defined for sustainable projects.
- Interpret systemic behaviours in society, and how they relate to sustainability transitions.
- Design your own solutioning process.
Who is the course for?
This sustainability management course is designed for anyone who would like to understand how systems analysis can help us to build more sustainable systems.
It would be suitable for purpose-driven professionals at public and private organisations.
Who will you learn with?
Tom is a renowned sustainability focused entrepreneur, architect, author, and advisor. He developed the Symbiosis in Development (SiD) framework, and leads his field with 20+ years of experience.
Ruben works at Except's Knowledge & Training pillar to develop and share the SiD methodology in a way that is understandable, comprehensive, up to date and valid.
A creative communicator and journalist, Zuza creates tangible narratives of social importance via writing that encompasses academia, journalism, and creative forms.
I am a sustainability consultant and I enjoy working on complex issues that require research, analysis, and creativity.
Who developed the course?
Except Integrated Sustainability
We deliver concepts and strategies for resilient, just, and inspiring cities, companies, governance, and industry.
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