My classes

Systems thinking, systems engineering and project management

These courses are offered as bespoke course to organisations onsite by prior arrangement, occasionally as public courses and now as online as individual self-paced learning. Click here for current list of public courses.


Systemic and systematic strategic risk management for policy makers

This course provides an introduction to potential negative outcomes from policy implementation and their consequences, explains policy implementation as a change in the status quo, resistance to change, and why risk management associated with policy implementation requires going beyond systems thinking about the outcomes of policies. The course discusses using a systems approach, where risks can arise starting with formulating a policy through the implementation phases, identifies the upside of risks as opportunities for improvement and advancement, how failure mode analysis can be used as a tool for identifying and quantifying risks, and ways to include risk mitigation in the formulation and implementation of policies.

Watch a video course overview at https://youtu.be/8w9pfR1wie4.

Learning objectives
  1. To train policy makers to identify and assess risks associated with the implementation of the policy
  2. To understand the methodology of risk mapping (creating a risk map)
  3. To understand how to quantify risks
  4. To understand ways of identifying potential positive consequences (turning risks into opportunities)
  5. To learn how to develop risk mitigation action plans
  6. To understand about adjusting policy decisions and directions
  7. To conduct of a practical exercise in risk identification and mitigation

Systems Engineering: A systemic and systematic methodology for solving complex problems

This course focuses on systems engineering as a systemic and systematic methodology for solving complex problems. The course discusses thinking, systems thinking as a way of understanding a situation and the benefits of going beyond systems thinking to determine the problem and solution. The course applies systems thinking to systems engineering, provides the participants with a number of conceptual tools, looks at systems and their properties and then goes through each state of the system lifecycle discussing what systems engineers do in each state and how they do it; identifying the types of problems faced by systems engineering in each state, and the tools and methodologies available for the systems engineer to use in each state.

Watch a video course overview at https://youtu.be/O9brXbcQOFA.

Learning outcomes

    At the end of this course, participants should:
  1. Understand the reasons for the different definitions of the term “system”, and the various viewpoints on systems engineering.
  2. Be able to identify the various types of problems faced by systems engineers in different States of the System Development Process (SDP).
  3. Be able to identify an appropriate tool or methodology to solve the problem.
  4. Be able to solve the problem.
  5. Understand the need for systems engineers with different competencies, skills and knowledge in different parts of the SDP.
  6. Understand that there isn’t always a single “right” solution to a problem.
  7. Have improved systems and critical thinking abilities. Be better than average systems engineers for their level of experience.
Who should attend?
  • Engineers and engineering managers
  • Systems engineers who want to improve their systems engineering skills
  • Problem-solvers

Systems Thinking and Beyond

Holistic thinking is a combination of analysis, systems thinking and critical thinking. After an introduction to systems thinking and critical thinking, Participants will learn how to apply holistic thinking in a systemic and systematic manner to deal with structured and unstructured problems.

Watch a video course overview at https://youtu.be/UIHaTWqiuRw.

Learning outcomes

  1. The ability to deal with open ended problems with no unique solutions.
  2. Improved problem solving, systems and critical thinking abilities.
  3. The ability to go beyond systems thinking in the analysis of a problem and determination of a solution.
Who should attend?
  • Managers and leading engineers facing complicated problems
  • Managers wanting to improve their thinking and communication skills
  • Engineers looking for promotion into management positions
  • Systems engineers who want to learn how to use and then go beyond systems thinking

Systemic and systematic project management

This course defines a holistic approach to project management for the development of new complex techno-centric systems. The emphasis is on the relationships and interconnections between project management processes and systems engineering processes for new complex systems. Specific topics include change management, strategy, project organization, team development, leadership styles, priorities, task development, scheduling, cost estimation, performance monitoring, constraint management, and project audits. Students apply these concepts on a project while working in teams. Mastery of these key tools is important for career development, as projects are a major approach for organizations to achieve their strategic goals.

Watch a video course overview at https://youtu.be/lfuHDp6Czj4.

Watch a video snippet of a simple new tool for improving project status reporting at https://youtu.be/fwM_9otO0F0.

Learning outcomes
    At the end of the course, students should:
  1. Understand and be able to apply the systems approach to project management
  2. Know the methodology of project planning, monitoring and control
  3. Know how the methodology is applied
  4. Be able to plan and validate plans for techno-centric systems
  5. Be able to anticipate, plan and manage change in systems development projects

Systemic and systematic integrated logistics support

This course introduces participants to the issues and basic principles of Integrated Logistics Support (ILS). ILS considerations impact every aspect of system development and are typically major life-cycle cost drivers. They need to be effectively considered and specified so that they can be “designed into” a system. This subject provides participants involved in management or development and acquisition of systems with the understanding of ILS required to effectively specify and manage such development or acquisition.

Unlike other courses, this course not only discusses the concepts but also places them in the context of the System Lifecycle (SLC).

The course is taught in the context of problem-based learning with the participants applying the knowledge in exercises and presenting their results.

The systems approach described in this course treats the system as a combination of the mission and support systems and applies systems engineering principles to the support system.

Learning outcomes

    The understanding of:
  1. How ILS considerations impact every aspect of system development and are typically major life-cycle cost drivers
  2. How ILS needs to be effectively considered and specified so that they can be “designed into” a system
  3. How to effectively specify and manage ILS development or acquisition
  4. The differences in the reliability of hardware, software and the human element
  5. The concept behind performance-based logistics (PBL)
  6. The costs of logistics support
  7. Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) and the LSA record (LSAR)
  8. The nature of RCM
  9. The difference between traditional maintenance and RCM
  10. The nature of the mission and support disciplines and how they integrate together
  11. The ability to evaluate a suitable ILS Plan for specific types of systems
  12. The ability to aAnalyse a system and develop a suitable ILS Plan
Who should attend
  • Individuals recently assigned responsibility to plan, establish, and maintain the logistics support infrastructure for commercial and government systems and equipment in any phase of the SLC
  • Systems engineers who want to learn how logistics and support meshes with systems engineering in the SLC
  • Executives and managers of logistics and distribution
  • Operations managers of traffic, transportation, and/or warehousing
  • Engineers and systems analysts of logistics, warehousing and distribution, and/or material handling systems
  • Logistics and distribution managers and analysts

Applying systems thinking to trading the stock market [an introduction]

This intense workshop equips participants with the appropriate understanding of the stock market to enable them to appreciate how to

  • Self manage their retirement investments to increase their wealth
  • Create a monthly/weekly income stream
  • Buy and sell stocks at a discount
Learning outcomes

On completion of this workshop participants should be able to:

  1. Understand how to manage their retirement investments to increase their wealth
  2. Understand how to create a monthly income stream
  3. Understand how to buy and sell stocks at a discount
  4. Understand why their options can lose money even if the stock moves in their favour
  5. Perceive the stock market systemically in a systematic manner
  6. Understand the nature of, and be able to use, at least 10 different trading indicators
  7. Minimize the risk of owning shares and options
  8. Understand at least five trading strategies
  9. Avoid at least five major mistakes beginners make
  10. Develop their own trading plan
  11. Find more free information
  12. Locate a mentor for further guidance
Who should attend
  • Persons interested in improving their investments by self-managing their accounts
  • Persons interested in trading shares and options
  • Persons interested in learning how apply systems thinking and beyond to increasing their wealth
Disclaimer
  • Neither Joseph Kasser or anyone else associated with this workshop is a licensed financial adviser, registered investment adviser, registered broker-dealer or FINRA|SIPC|NFA-member firm
  • Joseph Kasser does not provide investment or financial advice or make investment recommendations or transact trades, or give trading advice tailored to your particular situation
  • Nothing contained in the content constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, promotion, or endorsement of any particular security, other investment product, transaction or investment

Systemic and systematic requirements engineering and management

This course equips participants with the appropriate understanding of the difficulty of writing good requirements, the use of requirement management as an approach for controlling change and measuring the degree of completion of a project over the development, build, test and deliver, portion of the system and software life cycle. The course uses a mixture of active and passive teaching styles to maximize the effectiveness of the learning opportunity. Participants will be provided with a software tool (Tiger Pro) specially developed as an educational tool with which to write and test requirements.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this workshop participants should be able to:

  1. Understand the importance of well-written requirements
  2. Understand why requirements errors cost more to correct than other types of errors in the system development process
  3. Deal with poorly written requirements
  4. Recognize poorly written requirements and be able to repair them.Create clear and concise well-written requirements
  5. Mitigate the effect on cost and schedule due to poorly written requirements
Who should attend
  • Personnel who specify the development of technology-based systems
  • Engineers and programmers elucidating requirements from customers
  • Designers who work with poorly written requirements
  • Software and hardware testers who need to figure out how to test requirements
  • Project managers who need to plan development projects
  • Acquisition managers, contract specialists
  • Other personnel performing similar roles

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