This course is a simulation elective for the Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, Information Systems Engineering, Operations Research, and Systems Management majors. It builds on the Systems Engineering and Management Process and introduces the concept of dynamic systems thinking and analysis. By their nature, large scale systems are dynamic. These systems involve complex cause and effect relationships that form feedback loops between the variables of interest. Cadets use the properties of dynamic systems, analytical techniques, and continuous systems simulation to explore a system's structure and conduct policy analysis. Military and civilian applications include physical systems, human decision processes, population, and economic/business processes. Cadets develop communication skills by presenting their design results in both written reports and oral presentations. The course also addresses ethical implications in the development and application of dynamic models as well as interactions with decision makers. Cadets will spend fourteen to eighteen lessons in a computer lab environment.
