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Course Description

While you may not realize it, you are already making use of some of the patterns of systems thinking. For example, you may take a certain perspective on a problem—however, you might not be aware of your perspective and more importantly, may not recognize that you are likely omitting other perspectives. It is these types of omissions that contribute to both the creation of our most challenging problems and our inability to solve them. This course will walk you through the four simple rules of systems thinking, which provide a new paradigm for solving problems. These rules represent distinctions, systems, relationships, and perspectives, or DSRP.

Throughout this course, you will start to unlearn some of the deeply ingrained thought patterns that result in unproductive interactions, unintentional bias, and faulty binary or linear thinking. Systems thinking means intentionally reflecting on how you think, including both the information and the structure of your thoughts and ideas so that you can break old habits and think more systematically. With a variety of examples, tools, and techniques, you will practice making distinctions between ideas or things, organize ideas into systems, recognize hidden or underlying relationships, and identify the perspectives implicit in the information you analyze. As a result, you will be equipped to identify more innovative solutions, build consensus across diverse groups of people, and approach problems with more creativity, adaptability, and clarity.

You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

  • Framing Complex Problems with Systems Thinking

Faculty Author

Derek Cabrera; Laura Cabrera

Benefits to the Learner

  • Identify and make distinctions to challenge existing norms, labels, and definitions, and to recognize biases that prevent you from solving your most complex problems
  • Organize information using part-whole systems to reveal deeper insights and generate innovative solutions
  • Analyze and evaluate obvious and hidden relationships between people, things, or ideas to predict and prevent unintended consequences from derailing your projects or initiatives
  • Explore relevant perspectives within complex systems to enhance collaboration and discover consensus-building opportunities

Target Audience

  • Managers, leaders, decision makers, consultants, and anyone responsible for projects, complex processes, and the budgets and people involved with them. Learners will come from every continent and from a diverse range of organizations, including private sector companies large and small, nonprofits, governments, and NGOs.
  • For people already interested in systems dynamics or soft systems methodologies, the core principles from this program can be applied to any systems-based models.

Accrediting Associations

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

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Type
2 week
Dates
Aug 19, 2026 to Sep 01, 2026
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Sep 16, 2026 to Sep 29, 2026
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Oct 14, 2026 to Oct 27, 2026
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Nov 11, 2026 to Nov 24, 2026
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Dec 09, 2026 to Dec 22, 2026
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Jan 06, 2027 to Jan 19, 2027
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Feb 03, 2027 to Feb 16, 2027
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Mar 03, 2027 to Mar 16, 2027
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Mar 31, 2027 to Apr 13, 2027
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Apr 28, 2027 to May 11, 2027
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
May 26, 2027 to Jun 08, 2027
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00
Type
2 week
Dates
Jun 23, 2027 to Jul 06, 2027
Total Number of Hours
10.0
Course Fee(s)
Regular Price $999.00