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Conclusion to Week 1

The material in Week 1 is briefly reviewed.
Henry Moore Sculpture: Large Reclining Figure 1984
© CS-DC
At the end of Week 1 you have been introduced to some of the basic ideas of systems thinking and some of the techniques for drawing systems diagrams. These include:

  • parts, wholes, and holism
  • systems, their boundaries and their environments
  • subjectivity and objectivity in describing social systems
  • feedback and control
  • system maps and influence diagrams
  • multiple cause and sign diagrams
  • bed blocking as a systems problem
  • using systems thinking to seek solutions to systemic problems

We hope you found this week interesting and, if you are new to these ideas, find systems thinking natural and insightful.

What do you think?

Do you think systems thinking has something to offer? Did you find drawing systems diagrams useful? Did you expect something else? Do you think that you could apply systems thinking in areas that interest you in your personal or professional life? Give your ideas and feedback in the comments below.

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Systems Thinking and Complexity

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FutureLearn - Learning For Life