Understand the system boundary

5. Assessment 2

Weight for Distance Mode students	45%
Weight for Intensive Delivery Mode students	45%

Introduction

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5. Learning objectives

This assessment allows you to demonstrate your ability to:

1. Understand the system boundary (5.5.1)
2. Create and use Causal Loop Diagrams (5.5.2 and 5.5.3)
3. Identify multiple perspectives and possible hidden priorities (5.5.4)
4. Create and use stock and flow diagram (5.5.5)
5. Guidance through the assessment

To complete the assessment successfully:

1. Follow the step-by-step analysis process described in section5.5.
2. Use the tips provided in each step to guide you in addressing the assessment requirements.
3. Remember that systems thinking approach is an iterative and non-linear process. This means that you will need to revisit steps and refine your answers as you progress through the assessment.
4. Use the checklist within the Assignment Rubric Document (available on Moodle) to ensure that you have addressed all the assessment requirements.
5. Through the assessment, you are encouraged to seek early and frequent guidance from your lecturer regarding the development of your assessments. You can find information on the availability of the course lecturer at the course Moodle website.
6. Clearly organise your response around the tasks described in section 5.5.
7. Your response should be approximately 15 pages long but this will vary depending on writing style and formatting details. Responses which are unnecessarily long and vague will be scored lower than clear and concise responses.
8. Resources

1. Case study description (introduction and sections 1 to 3 of this document including references)
2. Textbook: Stroh, D. P. (2015). Systems thinking for social change: A practical guide to solving complex problems, avoiding unintended consequences, and achieving lasting results. Chelsea Green Publishing.Textbook.
3. Textbook: Sterman (2000). Business Dynamics. Chapter 6: Stock and Flow Diagrams. This resource is available via Course Moodle Website.
4. Course slides (available on Moodle)
5. Anylogic Software (Personal Education License), or any other mapping software.
6. Tasks description

Tip: Structure your response in the same order as the following tasks for a clear response to the marking criteria. Marking criteria references (OBJ-01, OBJ-02, etc.) are included in the following task descriptions for transparency and traceability.

5. Identify key goals and formulate focusing questions

[OBJ-04a] For each goal, state a focusing question to guide the subsequent analysis tasks. 

Tip: Use the focusing question to bound the analysis task. (i.e. the answers to these questions should be coherent between each of the sections in your response)

Tip: Frame the focusing question as a ‘how’ question

Tip: Use the following table to present your results in your report.

No.	Goals included in the analysis	Focusing question to be addressed through the analysis
1	Provide high quality services
2	Improve the credentials of the medical staff and the training programs provided for nurses

5. Map out systemic change required to achieve goals

For each of the two goals:

1. [OBJ-06] Identify the key variables or factors that make up the goal issue by considering the two systemic theories of change (success amplification theory and correct an existing situation; Stroh, 2015; p 169-172) to introduce the dynamics of reinforcing and balancing loops. For each variable, identify which factors are internal for KPH, and which are external;
2. [OBJ-07] Apply the causal loop diagram structure to develop a roadmap for each goal issue by mapping out interdependencies among the variables/factors.
3. [OBJ-08] Identify (by labelling in accordance with good causal loop diagram mapping practices) and explain (by way of an accompanying text description) the feedback loops depicted in the causal loop diagrams. The causal loop diagram represents a roadmap for the future.

Tip: When listing the key variables, provide this in a table with that defines each variable

Tip: Use the ‘good practices for developing and using CLD’‘good practices for developing and using CLD’ document (available on Moodle)to reflect on the causal loop diagrams. In particular, avoid the use of vague factors (e.g. strategy) and instead, think of variables that are traceable over time. Also, name factors unambiguously; do not use unexplained acronyms.

Tip: Use the focusing question to determine if a factor is included or excluded.

Tip: Take time delay into account

Tip: Think of how to use the systems archetypes to predict the KPH system behaviour 

5. Use the future roadmap to explore connections and identify leverage points

[OBJ-09] Analyse the two roadmaps to explore possible interconnections among maps (e.g. common dynamics that may help realise the two goals). Merge the roadmaps where you see possible connections.

Explain the connections between roadmaps. Investigate the roadmap to identify leverage points to achieve goals.

Tip: You may need to add more variables/factors to see connections.

Tip: Connections between maps that appear to be unlikely, unnatural or illogical will be scored lower than those that appear to be plausible.

5. Surface mental models about the proposed systemic change

[OBJ-05] Foreach of the two goals, analyse each of the stakeholders (listed in the following table) in order to describe their respective mental models about the proposed change which may inhibit or promote the proposed change and unanticipated effects. For those perceptions which may inhibit the change, propose possible actions that KPH can take for the stakeholder group to be promoting the change instead (i.e. aligned with the proposed change).

Tip: Use the following table to present your results in the report.

Tip: In the “Other” row, add any stakeholder group that you think relevant to the goal issue that may not be already included

Tip: If you think a particular stakeholder group is irrelevant to the systemic change, highlight as irrelevant and explain why you think so.

Stakeholder	Mental models	Will these perceptions inhibit or promote change? How?	Possible actions that KPH can take to align mental models with the proposed change
Doctors
Nurses
Emergency department patient
Chronic illness treatment patient
Private Health Care Insurance Providers
State Government Health Department
Other ()

5. Visualise the physics of the proposed change and leverage points

1. [OBJ-12] In preparation of creating a stock and flow diagram for each goal, identify, define, and classify variables according to their function in the system (i.e. stocks, flows), and their unit of measurement. Present this in a table format. Consider the results from tasks described by section 5.5.3 and 5.5.4 above.
2. [OBJ-13] Using the Systems Dynamics library in the Anylogic Software (Personal Education License), create a stock and flow diagram for each goal to visualise the mechanics of achieving the stated goal. Identify clearly on the diagrams flows that will be targeted to achieve the desirable change.
3. [OBJ-14] Analyse the stock and flow diagrams to describe (in 1 to 2 paragraphs) the flows and variables to be targeted to achieve the goals.

Tip: Ensure that stocks and connected flows MUST have the same units. 

5. Reflect on the assessment

[OBJ-15] Analyse your experience in completing this assessment by addressing the following questions:

1. Which part(s) of this assessment you find the most difficult? Why?
2. Which part(s) of this assessment you find the least difficult? Why?
3. Which part(s) of this assessment you find the most interesting? Why?
4. Which part(s) of this assessment you find the least interesting? Why?
5. What parts of this assessment do you think will be most useful to use outside the course?
6. How do you think your systems thinking skills (See the learning objectives in Section 5.2) have improved after undertaking this assessment part (Yes/No)? Please support your answer with explanation.
7. Describe any iterations on your assessment response. i.e. did you revisit any sections based on a change or multiple changes in thinking?

Tip: Avoid using general statements about the strengths/weakness of methods (e.g. the thinking iceberg method is useful for multi-level analysis). Focus your answers on articulating your own personal experience through the analysis process.