Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages

Go Home

NATO Computer Assisted Analysis, eXercise, and eXperimentation Forum (CA2X2 Forum)

On behalf of the NATO Modelling & Simulation Centre of Excellence, we are pleased to confirm that the 2023 Edition of the NATO Computer Assisted Analysis, eXercise, and eXperimentation Forum (CA2XForum) will be held from 3-5  October 2023 at the ERGIFE PALACE HOTEL**** – Rome (Italy).    

 Visit the event registration page to register for the event.

The 18th annual NATO CA2X2 Forum, organized by the NATO Modelling and Simulation Centre of Excellence, is an event where military users, industry and academia meet and discuss M&S topics including the M&S Discipline, Exercises, Experimentation, Wargaming, Analysis, Standards, Interoperability, and more.    

During the event, you will be able to attend presentations, workshops, demonstrations and round tables on the latest technology and future trends.   

Theme

M&S as a Cross-Functional Enabler  

Main Topics

  • Computer Assisted eXercise (CAX)  
  • Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) for M&S  
  • M&S Standards and Technologies   
  • Education and Training   
  • M&S Lessons Learned   
  • Wargaming   
  • Multi-Domain Operations   
  • Defence University M&S Research   
  • Artificial Intelligence   
  • Capability Development and Experimentation   
  • Support to Military Operations and Decision Making   
  • Medical M&S   
  • Emerging technologies  

Call For Papers

Experts and authors who desire to propose a paper or an article to be presented during the event are very welcome!  

A selection of the best papers and articles will be published in the conference proceedings book.   

The following link brings you to the Call for Papers:  https://easychair.org/cfp/natoca2x2forum2023    

For more details, follow the link: NATO CA2X2 Forum 2023   

Webinar Highlights & Recording: System Dynamics Modeling with R.

System Dynamics is a powerful approach to understanding complex systems in various fields, such as public health, ecology, and economics. Prof. Jim Duggan, an expert in applying System Dynamics and data science methods to public health, recently hosted a webinar on System Dynamics Modeling with R. In this session, Prof. Duggan provided insights into R’s capabilities for data analysis, visualization, and manipulation, as well as building and running Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) models. Additionally, he discussed using R’s Shiny framework for creating interactive web apps and the prospect of forming a joint digital science tools group for R and Python users.

Exploring R’s Capabilities

Prof. Duggan showcased R’s potential by introducing packages such as ggplot2 and dplyr for data manipulation and visualization, deSolve for building models, and Tidyverse for data analysis. Moreover, he demonstrated creating interactive web apps using the Shiny package.

Visualizing Data with ggplot2 and GGCloud2

Ggplot2, a library from the Tidyverse, enables users to create graphs in R. Prof. Duggan demonstrated creating scatter plots with different visual properties, such as color, using the ggplot function with specific arguments. He also highlighted GGCloud2 as a flexible visualization tool that adds a fourth dimension to a plot using the facetwrap function.

Tidying Data in R

Prof. Duggan emphasized the importance of tidying data for easier processing in R. He showcased the use of pivot_longer for converting wide data into a tidy data format and dplyr as a powerful package for summarizing data. Techniques like grouping, summarizing, and data transformation can be performed using Tidyverse tools.

Building and Running ODE Models

R can be used to build and run ODE models, as Prof. Duggan demonstrated by defining stocks using vectors and generating models automatically with the deSolve package. He also discussed how Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) can be used to calibrate data using System Dynamics models, helping to find parameters from a dataset.

Interactive Web Apps with Shiny

Shiny, R’s framework for creating interactive web apps, was another key focus of the webinar. Prof. Duggan explained how Shiny’s reactive programming automatically updates outputs based on input changes, requiring minimal HTML, CSS, and JavaScript knowledge. The server function links inputs to outputs and generates new graphs based on input changes.

Conclusion

Prof. Jim Duggan’s webinar on System Dynamics Modeling with R provided valuable insights into the capabilities of R for data analysis, visualization, manipulation, and ODE model building. The session was an excellent resource for those interested in exploring R’s applications in System Dynamics and data science.

Watch the recording for more!

Watch the recording below

Whoops, this recording is available for members and ticket purchasers only. Please login to verify. If you’re not a member, purchase a membership here. You can also buy a ticket to watch the recording here.

About the Speakers

Prof. Jim Duggan’s research focus is the area of applying System Dynamics and data science methods to public health. This includes using System Dynamics to support pandemic preparedness and response, modeling scenarios of infectious disease outbreaks and applying agile software design methods to develop a safety planning mobile app to address suicidality in young people attending community mental health services in Ireland. Prof. Duggan is a Managing Editor for the System Dynamics Review and a member of the World Health Organisation’s Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN).

Recent Posts

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours Though long past the date when I should have ‘retired’, I just can’t resist interesting projects, like the one a new friend brought me a few weeks ago. It concerns a small but fast-growing B2B business,...

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights The System Dynamics Society and PwC US joined forces to hold a hackathon event that brought together practitioners, researchers, and students passionate about the System Dynamics methodology. The 2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon...

Upcoming Events

Recent Business cases

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...

Join us

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon

More Details and Registration

Get ready for two exciting and intense days of collaboration and competition as teams come together for the hybrid PwC Mark Paich Hackathon. Starting on Friday, July 21 before the start of the ISDC2023, teams will compete to solve complex problems using System Dynamics and data science, with judging taking place on Sunday, July 23.

Don’t miss the chance to be recognized for your innovative solutions and join us at the conference banquet to celebrate the winners!

The Challenges: Artificial Intelligence or Health

The hackathon will require thoughtful consideration of new technologies and their potential. Participants will choose one of two challenges relating to Artificial Intelligence or Health.

Teams will have the opportunity to address questions regarding the use of new technologies that have the potential to bring about positive change and also carry significant risks if not thoughtfully considered.

Further details about the challenge will be revealed at the July 21 kickoff meeting.

Prizes

Teams will compete for recognition and a cash price of:
First $3,000
Second $1,500
Third $500

Exploring Careers in System Dynamics

The Exploring Careers in System Dynamics webinar, held on March 29, 2023, was an engaging panel discussion featuring experts Sharon Els, Eduardo Romanenko, and Georg Pallaske, moderated by Shane Carnohan. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the career journeys of these three System Dynamics experts, as well as their personal experiences and views on the field.

Sharon Els, with over two decades of experience in business modeling and simulation, provided insights into her extensive client work, which includes predicting market changes, optimizing corporate resource allocation, and improving project performance. She has advised corporate executives and government leaders on complex strategy, policy, and program challenges at various organizations. According to Sharon, “You want to simplify as much as you can. You don’t simplify the System Dynamics modeling itself. But you simplify your messages and you focus on what they need to solve and their challenges.”

Eduard Romanenko, a System Dynamics expert with a Ph.D. from the University of Bergen, highlighted the relevance and transparency of System Dynamics as a tool, which he believes will remain important in the future. He has been working as a full-time SD modeler and researcher for the past 3.5 years, providing insights into complex issues related to various projects.

Georg Pallaske, a System Dynamics expert and project manager with a passion for sustainability, shared his experience working closely with clients to develop customized analyses to support government decision-making. Georg is also pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Bergen, focusing on integrated sustainable development policies. According to Georg, “If we talk about scarce resources, inequality, greenhouse gas emissions & climate change, we cannot address these things in isolation. We need people who are able to use System Dynamics and systems thinking, and to actually support them.”

The panelists discussed the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the field of System Dynamics, as well as the challenges and opportunities that come with it. Attendees gained valuable insights into addressing complex business challenges and integrating System Dynamics into real-world professions.

Whether you’re a student exploring your career options or a seasoned professional looking to broaden your understanding, the “Exploring Careers in System Dynamics” webinar provided an excellent opportunity to learn from experts in the field.

Watch the recording below

Whoops, this recording is available for members and ticket purchasers only. Please login to verify. If you’re not a member, purchase a membership here. You can also buy a ticket to watch the recording here.

About the Speakers

Sharon Els is an expert in business modeling and simulation with over two decades of experience. Her extensive client work includes predicting market changes, optimizing corporate resource allocation, and improving project performance. She has advised corporate executives and government leaders on complex strategy, policy, and program challenges at various technology, aerospace, finance, gaming, and government organizations. Sharon’s insights and expertise have been instrumental in providing actionable recommendations and solutions to her clients. She currently works at Sage Analysis Group, where she continues to help organizations navigate complex business challenges.

Eduard Romanenko is a System Dynamics expert who holds a Ph.D. in System Dynamics from the University of Bergen (2022) and a European Master’s degree in System Dynamics (2014). He has been working as a full-time SD modeler and researcher for the past 3.5 years. Eduard has provided SD modeling capacity for various projects, including a project on urban stormwater management in Oslo and a 5-country EU-funded project on adolescent overweight and obesity. His contributions have provided insights into complex issues related to these projects.

Georg Pallaske is a System Dynamics expert and project manager with a passion for sustainability. He works at KnowlEdge Srl., where he develops customized analyses to support government decision-making. Georg is also pursuing a PhD at the University of Bergen, focusing on integrated sustainable development policies. As a project manager, he works closely with clients from inception to the presentation of results.

Recent Posts

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours Though long past the date when I should have ‘retired’, I just can’t resist interesting projects, like the one a new friend brought me a few weeks ago. It concerns a small but fast-growing B2B business,...

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights The System Dynamics Society and PwC US joined forces to hold a hackathon event that brought together practitioners, researchers, and students passionate about the System Dynamics methodology. The 2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon...

Upcoming Events

Recent Business cases

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...

Join us

Engaging Younger Audiences in Climate Change Education

This webinar focused on engaging younger audiences in climate change education using the analogy of a bathtub. Linda Booth Sweeney, a systems educator, and author shared innovative ways to educate children about climate change and provided age-appropriate and impactful learning experiences.

We started with a poll that asked attendees about their concern over rising climate anxiety among youth, and where they would start when a young person asks why we have climate change. The poll results showed that most attendees were either extremely or somewhat concerned about rising climate anxiety among youth, and would start with emissions or our human impact on the environment when explaining why we have climate change.

Linda Booth Sweeney introduced the Think Like a Bathtub video created for the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow to explain the basics of climate change dynamics. Attendees also got to learn about an interactive, augmented reality Think Like a Batjtub app, designed as a hands-on educational tool to demonstrate understanding.

To further engage younger audiences, Linda Booth Sweeney shared experiential games from her book, The Climate Change Playbook. Attendees were also provided with climate bathtub-related resources and journal articles to further educate themselves and their students.

This webinar provided educators, parents, researchers, and concerned citizens with the tools and resources to engage younger audiences in climate change education. The analogy of a bathtub proved to be an effective way to help children understand the complexities of climate change and inspire action. With Linda Booth Sweeney’s expertise in systems education and her passion for writing children’s books, we can look forward to more innovative and impactful learning experiences in the future.

For a TLAB talk or webinar run for your group, contact Linda (linda@lindaboothsweeney.net).

Watch the recording below

Whoops, this recording is available for members and ticket purchasers only. Please login to verify. If you’re not a member, purchase a membership here. You can also buy a ticket to watch the recording here

About the Speaker

Linda Booth Sweeney is a learning expert who specializes in complex systems. In her System Leadership Labs, Linda works to give leaders space to think differently, and to experiment with language, visuals, tools, and knowledge architecture that better mirrors the complexity they are navigating. Linda co-founded Toggle Labs, a metaverse education studio, in 2018 to offer people of all ages immersive, learn/do opportunities to work with complex systems and co-create healthier futures. She is co-author of The Systems Thinking Playbook, The Climate Change Playbook, and numerous other books and journal articles. Linda also has a passion for writing children’s books. Her next book, Apart Together, is a child’s first book of system thinking and will be published by Balzer & Bray in September 2023. For more on Linda’s work, see on systems visit lindaboothsweeney.net, and lindaboothsweeney.com for her work on children’s education.

Resources

1. THREE-MINUTE VIDEO: Youth-narrated Video. Explains fundamentals. Start here!

2. AUGMENTED REALITY APP (pilot): Fun, interactive AR app to engage students (ages 8 and up) in 1 of 4 key shapes of climate change — a bathtub. Students engage in thought experiments around our current rates of global warming pollution, then demonstrate their understanding with peers and adults. How to use the app video for educators here.

3. BOOK: The Climate Change Playbook.

4. EXPERIMENTAL GROUP GAME: A group game suitable for ages 8-88, and groups of up to 25. Download a free PDF of the Bathtub game instructions here

5. RESEARCH: See TLAB Pinterest page with related resources and journal articles

7. STAY IN THE LOOP: Sign up here to receive updates on TLAB and other Linda news.

8. SUPPORT: Interested in supporting this initiative? Please donate here.

CONTACTS

Dr. Linda Booth Sweeney
linda@lindaboothsweeney.net

togglelab.com (metaverse education)
lindaboothsweeney.net (systems thinking)
lindaboothsweeney.com (children’s books)

Recent Posts

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours Though long past the date when I should have ‘retired’, I just can’t resist interesting projects, like the one a new friend brought me a few weeks ago. It concerns a small but fast-growing B2B business,...

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights The System Dynamics Society and PwC US joined forces to hold a hackathon event that brought together practitioners, researchers, and students passionate about the System Dynamics methodology. The 2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon...

Upcoming Events

Recent Business cases

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...

Join us

The Role of Creativity in System Dynamics and Systems Thinking

A thought-provoking discussion led by internationally renowned expert Dennis Sherwood, as we explore the concept of creativity in System Dynamics and Systems Thinking. Delve into questions such as what precisely creativity is, how it differs from related concepts, and whether it’s just a natural attribute or a skill that can be learned, practiced, and enriched.

In this webinar, we gained a deeper understanding of the role of creativity in System Dynamics and systems thinking and learned about:

  • The differences between creativity and related concepts such as discovery, invention, innovation, entrepreneurship, and design thinking
  • Whether creativity can be developed and enriched as a skill
  • The concept of “goodness” in ideas and how it relates to creativity
  • The potential impact of AI on human creativity
  • Valuable insights into the role of creativity in your projects.

Watch the recording below

Whoops, this recording is available for members and ticket purchasers only. Please login to verify. If you’re not a member, purchase a membership here. You can also buy a ticket to watch the recording here.

About the Speaker

Dennis Sherwood has been running his own UK-based consultancy, The Silver Bullet Machine Manufacturing Company Limited, for the last 20 years, specializing in all aspects of organizational innovation and creativity, including applying systems thinking and System Dynamics modeling whenever the opportunity arises! Dennis first became aware of the systems perspective when a consulting partner at Deloitte, and had the great benefit of being a student of John Morecroft at London Business School. Subsequently, Dennis was an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs and Managing Director of the UK operations of SRI (Stanford Research Institute) Consulting. Dennis has written many journal articles and blogs, and is the author of 15 books, including Seeing the Forest for the Trees – A manager’s guide to applying systems thinking (Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2002), Smart Things to Know about Innovation and Creativity (Capstone Publishing, 2001), How to be Creative – A practical guide for the Mathematical Sciences, co-authored with Professor Nicholas Higham FRS FREng (SIAM, 2022), Creativity for Scientists and Engineers (UK Institute of Physics, 2022) and Strategic Thinking Illustrated – Strategy made visual using systems thinking (Taylor and Francis/Routledge, 2022).

Recent Posts

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours Though long past the date when I should have ‘retired’, I just can’t resist interesting projects, like the one a new friend brought me a few weeks ago. It concerns a small but fast-growing B2B business,...

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights The System Dynamics Society and PwC US joined forces to hold a hackathon event that brought together practitioners, researchers, and students passionate about the System Dynamics methodology. The 2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon...

Upcoming Events

Recent Business cases

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...

Join us

11th South Africa Chapter Conference

 The South Africa System Dynamics Chapter (SASDC) is hosting our hybrid 11th annual South African System Dynamics Conference to create a networking platform where researchers can present novel work which contributes to systems thinking, System Dynamics (theory, methodology or empirics), systems engineering, and operations research.

Extended abstracts should contribute to the conference theme of “Unifying Systems through Collaboration”. Topics may tackle the following subjects:

  • Health Dynamics
  • Sustainability
  • Education
  • Sociology and Psychology
  • Economics
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Technology
  • Policy and Governance
  • Transport
  • Hydrogen Economy
  • Circular
  • Economy

Attendee Registration: systemdynamics.org.za/11th-asdc-registration/

Presenter Registration: systemdynamics.org.za/11th-asdc-submission/

Full Paper template 

 DATE

DEADLINE

15-March

Call for submissions (short papers/ work-in-progress/ case studies)

25-Aug

Short paper / work-in-progress/ case study submission deadline

28-Sep

Notice of submission decision to authors

06-Oct

Author registration deadline

20-Oct

Preliminary program

31-Oct

Attendee registration closes

10-Nov

Final program & conference details

16-17 Nov

11th South African System Dynamics Conference

PRICING

 Category

Early Bird Registration 

Regular Registration

SASDC Members 

R250

R300

Non-SASDC Members 

R350

R400

SASDC Student Members 

R150

R200

Non-SASDC Student 

R200

R250

Virtual

R150

R175

Venue:

Eskom Research & Innovation Centre, Rosherville, Johannesburg, South Africa

Questions?

Contact: Nalini Pillay – Pillayna@Eskom.co.za

Celebrating Women’s International Day

Over the past several decades, more women have become part of the System Dynamics field, greatly increasing gender diversity in our discipline. We have many amazing, inspiring, brilliant, and visionary female leaders. Today we highlight women in the field who have published books related to System Dynamics and systems thinking, although this list is not exhaustive.

Sustainability | Environment

Systems Thinking

Pre-College Education | Children’s Books | Teacher’s Manuals

Applied System Dynamics and Systems Thinking | Methodology | Organizational Change

Historical

  • Deborah Andersen and David Andersen: Theories of Decision Making: An Annotated Bibliography.
  • MIT Artificial Intelligence Group: John McCarthy, Robert Brayton, Daniel Edwards, Phyllis Fox, Louis Hodes, David Luckham, Klim Maling, David Park, Stephen Russel: LISP I: Programmer’s Manual
    • In 1959, Phyllis Fox and Alexander Pugh wrote the first version of DYNAMO (DYNAmic MOdels) and the system dynamics language that became the industry standard for over thirty years).

Use the button below If you’d like to add an author and/or book to our bibliography:

Donella Meadows

“We, humans, are smart enough to have created complex systems and amazing productivity; surely we are also smart enough to make sure that everyone shares our bounty, and surely we are smart enough to sustainably steward the natural world upon which we all depend.”

Donella (Dana) Meadows was an inspiring leader, scholar, writer, teacher, a Pew Scholar in Conservation and Environment, and a MacArthur Fellow, and was one of the most influential environmental thinkers of the twentieth century. After receiving a Ph.D. in biophysics from Harvard, she joined a team at MIT applying the relatively new tools of System Dynamics to global problems. While Donella Meadows researched and wrote about global problems, she herself also practiced local solutions, a living personification of Rene Dubos’ famous expression, “Think Globally, Act Locally.”

Donella’s ideas, insights, teachings, environmental leadership, and belief in the capacity of humans to create a sustainable world continue to inspire and motivate us today.

Visit the Donella Meadows Project by the Academy for Systems Change to learn more about Dana’s life and work.

Donella Meadows wrote and co-authored several books, including the following: 

Recent Posts

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours Though long past the date when I should have ‘retired’, I just can’t resist interesting projects, like the one a new friend brought me a few weeks ago. It concerns a small but fast-growing B2B business,...

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights The System Dynamics Society and PwC US joined forces to hold a hackathon event that brought together practitioners, researchers, and students passionate about the System Dynamics methodology. The 2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon...

Upcoming Events

Recent Business cases

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...

Join us

Thinking in Systems A Primer
Beyond the Limits by Donella Meadows. Sustainability and climate change.

Planning and Managing Performance Improvement Programs

See also a more extensive article based on this post, and watch the recording below on the topic.

Organizations of all sizes and types undertake programs of effort to improve their performance, whether it’s in the areas of health and safety, net-zero efforts, or digital transformation. But sustaining momentum for such efforts is tough, and many fail completely.

It turns out that such programs share a common structure, which can be used to assess how the program may progress, how benefits may grow over time, and the cost and effort of achieving them (figure 1).

Performance-improvement programs generally aim to eliminate or mitigate some problematic outcomes such as staff injuries, the loss of critical data, excessive energy use, and inefficient business processes. Those problematic outcomes are caused by previously unidentified problem drivers – hazards in business facilities, data vulnerabilities, inefficient or under-controlled energy-using assets, and inefficient business processes.

So the basic aim is to eliminate or mitigate those problem drivers. This essentially consists of two overlapping efforts [1] to find and quantify those problem drivers, then [2] to eliminate or mitigate those problem drivers that are found.

As benefits start to become apparent, two self-reinforcing mechanisms (R) kick in. First, the staff becomes engaged in its success and adds – often greatly – to the discovery of those unknown opportunities. This boosts leaders’ confidence, so financial savings from the program can be recycled to speed up the rate at which benefits are realized.

In due course, we run out of unknown opportunities to find, and the cost-benefit of remaining opportunities declines – two balancing mechanisms (B) that ultimately limit the benefits that can be gained.

Figure 1 – The overall structure of the system that underlies improvement programs.

 

Reviewing real-world cases revealed how the principles above actually work in practice. One example concerned a 2-year effort on energy-saving by a large ready-meals producer operating several facilities.

 Management appointed an energy manager, who soon brought monthly reports to the executive team, itemizing savings opportunities and specifying their impact, cost, and implementation steps. Those opportunities brought further benefits, such as lower maintenance costs and production downtime. The visible benefits led to staff adopting energy-saving behavior and finding still more opportunities. In under 2 years, the program saved 40% of the organization’s energy use – with no significant capital investment. Future investment will drive down energy use still further.

 The structure in figure 1 can be quantified and modeled,  then used to manage the program over time (A demonstration model is available at sdl.re/EnergySaving1, and a simple guide for its software is at sdcourses.com/silico-guide).

Background

The figure 1 framework and the working models that prove its value emerged from work for the British Standards Institution (BSI). BSI publishes internationally-recognized “ISO” management standards on a very wide range of topics. BSI commissioned a series of “serious games” to show the key choices and impact of adopting Standards – explore the first few games here, all built on working models of figure 1. BSI also wanted a game to encourage small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), to drive down greenhouse gas emissions. See The NetZero Challenge.

Figure 2 –The results screen of the NetZero Challenge game

Watch the recording below

Whoops, this recording is available for members and ticket purchasers only. Please login to verify. If you’re not a member, purchase a membership here. You can also buy a ticket to watch the recording here

About the Speaker

Kim Warren is an experienced strategy professional, teacher, and publisher of online courses and teaching resources on business modeling – fast becoming a mainstream capability for executives, consultants, and business students. He was awarded the Jay Wright Forrester Award by the International System Dynamics Society in 2005 and was the Society’s President in 2013.

Recent Posts

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours Though long past the date when I should have ‘retired’, I just can’t resist interesting projects, like the one a new friend brought me a few weeks ago. It concerns a small but fast-growing B2B business,...

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights The System Dynamics Society and PwC US joined forces to hold a hackathon event that brought together practitioners, researchers, and students passionate about the System Dynamics methodology. The 2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon...

Upcoming Events

Recent Business cases

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...

Join us

How To Review for ISDC 2023

Reviews provide valuable feedback for authors, offering new perspectives and posing insightful questions to help them improve their work. They can inspire authors to think more deeply about their research, while also exposing reviewers to new ideas and honing their critical evaluation skills. Helpful reviews can also motivate newcomers to the field and foster a sense of belonging within the System Dynamics community. Through the use of reviews, the program committee is able to thoughtfully place work within the broader conference program, allowing for authors to engage with their peers and build a sense of community among those working on similar topics. Conference attendees can then benefit from attending more cohesive and engaging sessions, ultimately leading to a more productive and fulfilling conference experience.

Do you want to become a conference reviewer or improve your reviews? Here are ten tips to write a great review.

Ten Reviewing Tips

1. Don’t be intimidated by the review process. It’s a terrific experience that can help you develop your own critical evaluation skills and expand your knowledge of the field.

2. Start early and don’t rush through the work. Take your time to read and evaluate the paper thoroughly so you can provide constructive feedback to the author.

3. Remember that reviews are not about accepting or rejecting work; they’re about providing feedback and suggestions to help the author improve their work.

4. Be courteous and respectful in your review. Start with a positive comment, summarize the paper, and offer constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement. If you have a different view of the paper, explain your perspective in a respectful way and provide additional resources that might be helpful to the author.

5. If you find yourself struggling to understand a section of the work, don’t assume it’s your fault. Ask the author to clarify the section or explain it in simpler terms for a broader audience.

6. When evaluating the work, pay attention to the assumptions, feedback structure, and parameter values. If it’s not clear how structure relates to behavior, ask the author for more clarification.

7. If your strength lies in theory or practice rather than modeling, your unique perspective will be a great contribution to the author. Consider adding notes to the program chairs to let them know what your strengths are.

8. Make sure you’re familiar with what was asked of the authors in the submission instructions. This will help you evaluate the paper more effectively.

9. Avoid providing unhelpful feedback in your review. Don’t simply summarize the paper without offering any suggestions for improvement. Don’t attack or threaten the author, and don’t be rude or condescending. Systems thinking based papers should be treated as complete papers and not regarded as lesser work for lack of simulation. Slamming the door on the author is not productive; if the paper is not a good fit for the current conference, the author can improve for next year’s conference.

10. Can you volunteer to review a paper if you’ve submitted one of your own? Absolutely! You will not receive your own paper to review. Further, the review process is blind, so you won’t know any author’s identity.

For other conference review questions, contact the conference team.

Student-Organized-Colloquium (SOC) reviews are processed separately. To review for SOC, sign up here.

Watch the recording below

About the Speakers

Allyson Beall King, John Pastor Ansah and Saras Chung are ISDC 2023 Program Chairs.

Recent Posts

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours

A Digital Twin Business Model in 40 Hours Though long past the date when I should have ‘retired’, I just can’t resist interesting projects, like the one a new friend brought me a few weeks ago. It concerns a small but fast-growing B2B business,...

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights

2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon Highlights The System Dynamics Society and PwC US joined forces to hold a hackathon event that brought together practitioners, researchers, and students passionate about the System Dynamics methodology. The 2023 PwC Mark Paich Hackathon...

Upcoming Events

Recent Business cases

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala

System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability

Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide

RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...

Join us