Complex Problem Structuring for Socio-Technical Systems
A systematic approach to analyzing complex problems by integrating social, technical, and systemic factors for comprehensive solutions.
A systematic approach to analyzing complex problems by integrating social, technical, and systemic factors for comprehensive solutions.
This course teaches advanced techniques for analyzing and structuring complex socio-technical problems. Participants will learn to transform 'poor' problem descriptions into 'rich' ones, using tools and approaches designed for policy, regulatory, and governance decisions. The curriculum covers problem demarcation, multi-actor analysis, system analysis, and methods for identifying and managing deep uncertainty. Students will focus on socio-technical systems, where social and technical complexities are interdependent, such as energy transition, climate change, and sustainable cities. The course emphasizes the importance of considering multiple actors with conflicting interests, fast technical developments, institutional fragmentation, and uncertainties. By the end, students will be able to embrace complexity and apply structured approaches to various real-world complex problems.
Instructors:
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What you'll learn
Identify characteristics of complex problems and socio-technical systems
Structure problems iteratively using various instruments and approaches
Conduct problem demarcation, actor analysis, and means-end analysis
Create and interpret systems diagrams for complex situations
Analyze and incorporate uncertainty in the problem structuring process
Apply complex problem structuring techniques to diverse case studies
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assignments, exams
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Limited Access access
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There are 5 modules in this course
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to complex problem structuring with a focus on socio-technical systems. The curriculum is divided into five modules, each addressing key aspects of problem structuring. Module 1 introduces the characteristics of complex socio-technical problems and their implications for problem structuring. Module 2 covers problem structuring techniques and means-end analysis. Module 3 focuses on multi-actor analysis, considering various stakeholders and their interests. Module 4 delves into systems diagrams and boundary setting. The final module addresses future uncertainties and how to manage them in the problem structuring process. Throughout the course, students will apply these concepts to various case studies, developing practical skills in analyzing and structuring complex problems in fields such as energy transition, climate change, public health, and urban planning.
Understanding complex socio-technical problems and the implications for problem structuring
Module 1
Problem structuring and means-end analysis
Module 2
Multi-actor analysis
Module 3
Systems diagrams and boundaries
Module 4
Unlocking the future: identifying and managing uncertainty
Module 5
Fee Structure
Instructors
1 Course
Expert in AI-Based Decision Support and Environmental Policy Analysis
Jazmin Zatarain Salazar serves as an Assistant Professor in Policy Analysis at TU Delft's Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, where she also co-directs the Hippo AI Lab. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University and postdoctoral research at Politecnico di Milano's Environmental Intelligence lab. Her research integrates hydrologic sciences, artificial intelligence, and multi-objective optimization to address complex water and environmental challenges. She specializes in uncertainty analysis, transboundary river basin management, and model-based decision support, focusing particularly on integrating distributional outcomes in environmental policy decisions. Through her work at the Hippo AI Lab, she develops AI-based decision support systems for water and climate-economy systems, emphasizing the importance of understanding uncertainty in problem structuring and modeling for environmental policy making.
1 Course
Advancing Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems at TU Delft
Saba Hinrichs-Krapels is an associate professor and Delft Technology Fellow at Delft University of Technology, where she applies systems and design approaches to tackle complex decision-making in health systems. With a background that includes roles as Deputy Director of the King’s Global Health Institute, senior analyst at RAND Europe, and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge (where she also earned her PhD in Engineering Design), Saba focuses on enhancing evidence-based policymaking and the adoption of technology across all levels of healthcare. Her research aims to make health systems more resilient and sustainable, using complex systems modeling and participatory design to co-create and evaluate real-world interventions. Currently, her work addresses service planning, resource management, and sustainable technology adoption, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, while also exploring how health systems interact with other critical infrastructures like energy, supply chains, and water, especially in urban and under-resourced settings
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