5th Annual System Dynamics Competition by the South Africa System Dynamics Chapter

This Challenge is FREE to enter, with fantastic sponsored prizes to win!

The South Africa System Dynamics Chapter (SASDC) aims to encourage System Dynamics skills development, learning, and international collaboration so that complex global issues can be better understood and managed through suitable strategic plans. The SASDC is running the 5th Annual System Dynamics Competition, open to the global System Dynamics fraternity on the 1st of March 2022! What’s more is that this Challenge is FREE to enter, with fantastic sponsored prizes to win!

If you are new to the field, this is a great opportunity to use and further develop your valuable System Dynamics skillset! If you are already a well-seasoned System Dynamics modeler, you can still showcase your skills by tackling, what will be a real-world challenge. As system dynamists we look forward to listening and learning from the insights gained through tackling this challenge head-on, thus enriching future growth and stimulation in the field of system dynamics. 

The top-rated submissions will be presenting their work to the country’s system dynamics network at the anticipated 10th South African System Dynamics Conference on the 18th November 2022, where the winner will be announced. 

Requirements:

• Have access to a computer that can install system dynamics modeling software (e.g. Stella/Vensim/equivalent). 
• Entry can be individual or a team not exceeding 2 people. 
• The final documented feedback with the model submission should be less than 10 pages. 

This year you can register into one of three categories: 

• Beginner: 1-18 months experience 
• Intermediate: 18-60 months experience 
• Advanced: More than 5 years of experience 

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

1 March 2022 Registration open/ Call for entries 

7 May 2022 **Training workshop (Basics) 

28 May 2022 **Training workshop (Fish banks) 

11 Jun 2022 **Training workshop (Challenge focus) 

16 Jul 2022 **Review session (Logic, Causal Loop Diagram, Rich picture) 

13 Aug + 17 Sep 2022 **Review session (Model Concept) 

28 October 2022 Registration & entry deadline 

11 Nov 2022 Announcement of finalists 

18 November 2022 Announcement of the winner/s at the 10th Annual System Dynamics Conference of the South Africa Chapter

**Non-compulsory, a support service by the South African System Dynamics Chapter. Image @ Secret Africa, Aug 30, 2019 

Report Template and final submission information will follow later.

Systems Harmony – Competition Statement 

The Boabab tree is native to Africa and can live for thousands of years in harmony with surrounding systems. The Boabab provides oxygen to all breathing creatures, shelter from the African sun, water to elephants, and nesting for birds. One of South Africa’s oldest Boabad trees (Platland tree) split apart in 2018. Many tourists enjoyed the cocktail bar within the Platland tree. Initially, we thought the tree’s death was due to natural causes. However, after closer observation, we have discovered that many of the oldest Boababs are dying in Southern Africa. Although we are not certain as to why the temperature increases and rainfall changes in southern Africa are suspected to be the cause. Thus, it seems like the disturbance in the climate’s harmony is having significant effects on the Boabab and potentially disturbing the harmony of all life.

In this year’s competition, you are tasked to investigate and discover some of the harmonic systems within your field of interest. For example, the harmony between humanity and nature: How is our actions affecting nature, and how, in turn, will naturally affect our future? Or, the harmony within diversity. How are we sacrificing diversity and, in turn, how does the loss of diversity affect the future? Finally, the harmony within ourselves. How does our internal disharmony lead to decisions and actions that take us down a destructive path?

The broad scope and dual nature of the System Dynamics methodology allow us to discover more about harmony. The dual nature of qualitative and quantitative approaches can help us connect the soft and hard sciences. Come join us on this year’s journey to learn more about system dynamics in the