CIPA525 - Designing Organizations for Systems Thinking

Course Description

Why do we start organizations in the first place? We have a vision for the future, and we need to work with others to bring that vision to life. The whole purpose of any organization is collective action. When organizations fail, it is often the result of the failure to harness the collective power of individuals to drive toward that singular vision. However, much like you would design an iPhone, you can also design organizations that are adaptive and can focus everyone on achieving the organization's vision.

In this course, Cornell University faculty members Derek and Laura Cabrera introduce the design principles behind intelligent, adaptive organizations rooted in systems thinking. Through expert insights and hands-on activities, you’ll learn to craft your organization’s vision and mission, while building the capacity and learning systems necessary to achieve them. This systems leadership and organizational design model provides the tools to better design, manage, guide, and transform your organization. With this blueprint, you’ll cultivate a culture where every level of the organization is focused on driving toward your ultimate goal: realizing your vision.

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

• Framing Complex Problems with Systems Thinking
• Using the Four Simple Rules of Systems Thinking
• Visualizing and Modeling Complex Systems
• Building Analytical and Emotional Intelligence with Systems Thinking

Faculty Author

Benefits to the Learner

• Craft clear vision and mission statements that outline the desired future, detail key actions, and inspire employees
• Develop capacity and learning systems that respond to critical customer needs and help realization of the organizational mission
• Assess and refine your vision, mission, capacity, and learning systems (VMCL) and create a visual map that enables you to share mental models within your organization

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

• Project Management Institute (PMI) Approval Number 10.0 Units
• International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) Approval Number 10.0 Hours

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Systems Thinking : Required Courses