Sunday 13 March 2011

Application

System dynamics has found application in a wide range of areas, for example population, ecological and economic systems, which usually interact strongly with each other.

System dynamics have various "back of the envelope" management applications. They are a potent tool to:

    * Teach system thinking reflexes to persons being coached
    * Analyze and compare assumptions and mental models about the way things work
    * Gain qualitative insight into the workings of a system or the consequences of a decision
    * Recognize archetypes of dysfunctional systems in everyday practice

Computer software is used to simulate a system dynamics model of the situation being studied. Running "what if" simulations to test certain policies on such a model can greatly aid in understanding how the system changes over time. System dynamics is very similar to systems thinking and constructs the same causal loop diagrams of systems with feedback. However, system dynamics typically goes further and utilises simulation to study the behaviour of systems and the impact of alternative policies.[5]

System dynamics has been used to investigate resource dependencies, and resulting problems, in product development.[6][7]
 Example
Causal loop diagram of a model examining the growth or decline of a life insurance company.[8]

The figure above is a causal loop diagram of a system dynamics model created to examine forces that may be responsible for the growth or decline of life insurance companies in the United Kingdom. A number of this figure's features are worth mentioning. The first is that the model's negative feedback loops are identified by "C's," which stand for "Counteracting" loops. The second is that double slashes are used to indicate places where there is a significant delay between causes (i.e., variables at the tails of arrows) and effects (i.e., variables at the heads of arrows). This is a common causal loop diagramming convention in system dynamics. Third, is that thicker lines are used to identify the feedback loops and links that author wishes the audience to focus on. This is also a common system dynamics diagramming convention. Last, it is clear that a decision maker would find it impossible to think through the dynamic behavior inherent in the model, from inspection of the figure alone.[8]
 Example of 4D piston motion
Piston motion equations

This animation was made with the 3D modeler of a system dynamics software.
The calculated values are associated with parameters of the rod and crank.
In this example the crank is driving, we vary both the speed of rotation, its radius and the length of the rod, the piston follows.

No comments:

Post a Comment