System dynamics

System dynamics is one approach to modeling the dynamics of complex systems such as population, ecological and economic systems, which usually interact strongly with each other. Systems Dynamics was founded in the early 1960s by Jay W. Forrester of the MIT Sloan School of Management with the establishment of the MIT System Dynamics Group. At that time, he began applying what he had learned about systems during his work in electrical engineering to everyday kinds of systems. What makes using System Dynamics different from other approaches to studying complex systems is the use of feedback loops. Stocks and flows are the basic building blocks of a System Dynamics model. They help describe how a system is connected by feedback loops which create the nonlinearity found so frequently in modern day problems. Computer software is used to simulate a system dynamics model of the situation being studied. Running "what if" simulations to test certain policies on such a model can greatly aid in understanding how the system changes over time.

Software

 * AnyLogic (Supports system dynamics, agent based and discrete event modeling)
 * Simile (System Dynamics software with object-based concepts)
 * Vensim (free for educational and personal use)
 * MapSys (Free system thinking software)
 * Consideo (Free system dynamics software)
 * Powersim (System dynamics software)
 * Forio (Web based system dynamics software)
 * Stella and iThink (System dynamics software)
 * NetLogo (Multi agent simulation with an easy to use interface. This software is being used by children in schools, and can also simulate very complex systems.)
 * VisualBots - Freeware multi-agent simulator in Microsoft Excel - Visual Basic syntax
 * MacA&D - Macintosh tool to model, simulate and graph dynamic systems
 * WinA&D - Windows tool to model, simulate and graph dynamic systems

Articles

 * Simile Description
 * System Dynamics and Systems Thinking
 * Introduction to Social Macrodynamics: Compact Macromodels of the World System Growth
 * System Models & Simulation (pdf)

Mailing lists

 * System Dynamics Mailing List
 * Computer Simulation in Social Sciences

System Dynamics Dinámica de sistemas Rendszerdinamika システムダイナミックス Systeemdynamica Systemdynamikk Dinamika sistim 系统动力学