The thesis is focused on promoting the training of systems thinking using board game. The primary goal is to create a board game, useful for training of the information managers. The secondary objective is to describe process of the design and creation of board game. The theoretical basis of the thesis is to define the profile information manager and demands for his skills further description of the principles of systems thinking and game theory. External work output is a prototype board game. The theoretical part of the paper discusses in particular the principles of board game , systems thinking and psychological effect on the player so that it can pass through the game players more experience. From the perspective of the theory of systems thinking are discussed and applied basic principles of feedback, causal thinking and system archetypes. Theory of board games then processes the options and mechanisms to transmit the necessary knowledge and experience. In the practical part thesis focuses on the description of the mechanisms used in the game Dynacorp and their justification in terms of teaching systems thinking. Conclusion The paper evaluates the fulfillment of the set objectives, the potential of game and describes future goals.

A large part of Swedish medical care is expected to be provided from the primary health centers. However, these centers are experiencing challenges in terms of shortages of personnel, an increased volume of patients, higher workload, increasing queue lengths, and increasing costs. Addressing these issues at the primary health centers is important for both improving the operation at the local centers and the functionality of the Swedish healthcare system. This thesis aims to explore the primary health center operation, focusing on a typical public primary health center in Stockholm. This is done to find parameters that affect the flow of patients and develop a graphical model that serves as a foundation for further model development, simulations and optimization of good health. To address the complex and dynamic primary health center system, a system dynamics approach is adopted. A literature review was conducted to gain an understanding of the primary health center environment and to identify parameters that impact the primary health centers ability to operate and/or affect the quality of service towards patients. The model development involved constructing cases and extracting parameters that change over time. The parameter relationships were determined through interpretation and are supported by literature. The model was qualitatively validated with the assistance of expert feedback. The presented result is determined to capture the basic operation of the primary health center and the model can be used as a foundation for further simulations. / En stor del av den svenska sjukvården förväntas levereras från vårdcentraler. Vårdcentralerna står dock inför utmaningar när det gäller brist på personal, ökad patientvolym, högre arbetsbelastning, ökade kölängder och ökande kostnader. Att hantera dessa problem på vårdcentralerna är viktigt både för att förbättra den lokala verksamheten och funktionaliteten i svensk hälso- och sjukvård. Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka vårdcentralens verksamhet och fokuserar på en typisk offentlig vårdcentral i Stockholm. Detta görs för att hitta parametrar som påverkar patientflödet, för att utveckla en grafisk modell som utgör en grund för vidare modellutveckling, simuleringar och optimering av god hälsa. För att adressera det komplexa och dynamiska vårdcentral-systemet antas ett system dynamiskt tillvägagångssätt. En litteraturgenomgång genomfördes för att få en förståelse för vårdcentralens miljö och identifiera parametrar som påverkar vårdcentralens förmåga att driva verksamheten och/eller påverkar kvaliteten på vården för patienter. Modellutvecklingen innebar att konstruera fall och extrahera parametrar som förändras över tid. Parametrarnas relationer bestämdes genom tolkning och stöds av litteratur. Modellen genomgick en kvalitativ valideringsprocess baserad på expertutlåtanden. Resultatet, den grafiska modellen, som presenteras anses fånga vårdcentralens grundläggande funktion och kan användas som grund för vidare simuleringar.

System dynamics modelling has been used for around 40 years to address complex, systemic, dynamic problems, those often described as wicked. But, system dynamics modelling is not an exact science and arguments about the most suitable techniques to use in which circumstances, continues. The nature of these wicked problems is investigated through a series of case studies where poor situational awareness among stakeholders was identified. This was found to be an underlying cause for management failure, suggesting need for better ways of recognising and managing wicked problem situations. Human cognition is considered both as a limitation and enabler to decision-making in wicked problem environments. Naturalistic and deliberate decision-making are reviewed. The thesis identifies the need for integration of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Case study results and a review of the literature led to identification of a set of principles of method to be applied in an integrated framework, the aim being to develop an improved way of addressing wicked problems. These principles were applied to a series of cases in an action research setting. However, organisational and political barriers were encountered. This limited the exploitation and investigation of cases to varying degrees. In response to a need identified in the literature review and the case studies, a tool is designed to facilitate analysis of multi-factorial, non-linear causality. This unique tool and its use to assist in problem conceptualisation, and as an aid to testing alternate strategies, are demonstrated. Further investigation is needed in relation to the veracity of combining causal influences using this tool and system dynamics, broadly. System dynamics modelling was found to have utility needed to support analysis of wicked problems. However, failure in a particular modelling project occurred when it was found necessary to rely on human judgement in estimating values to be input into the models. This was found to be problematic and unacceptably risky for sponsors of the modelling effort. Finally, this work has also identified that further study is required into: the use of human judgement in decision-making and the validity of system dynamics models that rely on the quantification of human judgement.

System dynamics modelling has been used for around 40 years to address complex, systemic, dynamic problems, those often described as wicked. But, system dynamics modelling is not an exact science and arguments about the most suitable techniques to use in which circumstances, continues. The nature of these wicked problems is investigated through a series of case studies where poor situational awareness among stakeholders was identified. This was found to be an underlying cause for management failure, suggesting need for better ways of recognising and managing wicked problem situations. Human cognition is considered both as a limitation and enabler to decision-making in wicked problem environments. Naturalistic and deliberate decision-making are reviewed. The thesis identifies the need for integration of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Case study results and a review of the literature led to identification of a set of principles of method to be applied in an integrated framework, the aim being to develop an improved way of addressing wicked problems. These principles were applied to a series of cases in an action research setting. However, organisational and political barriers were encountered. This limited the exploitation and investigation of cases to varying degrees. In response to a need identified in the literature review and the case studies, a tool is designed to facilitate analysis of multi-factorial, non-linear causality. This unique tool and its use to assist in problem conceptualisation, and as an aid to testing alternate strategies, are demonstrated. Further investigation is needed in relation to the veracity of combining causal influences using this tool and system dynamics, broadly. System dynamics modelling was found to have utility needed to support analysis of wicked problems. However, failure in a particular modelling project occurred when it was found necessary to rely on human judgement in estimating values to be input into the models. This was found to be problematic and unacceptably risky for sponsors of the modelling effort. Finally, this work has also identified that further study is required into: the use of human judgement in decision-making and the validity of system dynamics models that rely on the quantification of human judgement.

A fundamental change in societal values and economic structures is required to address increasing pressures on ecosystems and natural resources. Transition research has developed in the last decades to analyze the co-dynamics of technological, institutional, social and economic elements in the provision of key functions such as energy, water and food supply. This doctoral dissertation provides conceptual and methodological contributions to the pro-active governance of sustainability transitions. Three research gaps are identified that are addressed in this dissertation. First, a comprehensive conceptualization of learning in sustainability transitions is currently missing that comprises learning at multiple societal levels (ranging from individuals to policy-actors). Learning concepts are often not explicitly discussed in transition research even though learning is considered as fundamental for innovation processes, niche formation and development as well as breakthrough and diffusion of innovations. Second, methods for the analysis and design of transition governance processes are lacking that specify case-specific intervention points and roles of actors in the implementation of innovations. Third, participatory modeling approaches are only applied to a limited extent in transition research despite a high potential for supporting communication and learning. The conceptualization of multi-level learning developed in this doctoral research conceptualizes learning at different societal levels as specific learning contexts ranging from individual and group contexts to organizational and policy contexts. The conceptual framework further differentiates between learning processes, intensity, objects, outcomes, subjects and factors, allowing for a more detailed analysis of learning within and across learning contexts. Thus, learning contexts can be linked by processes that involve actors from different learning contexts (e.g., community groups and policy-makers), as well as exchanges of physical aspects, institutions and knowledge (in the form of ‘learning factors’). This research has also provided a classification of model uses in transition research that supports a purposeful discussion of the opportunities of modeling and promising future research directions. The methodology developed in this doctoral research aims at the analysis and design of transition governance processes by specifying the various opportunities to contribute to sustainability transitions through purposeful action at different societal levels, as well as related roles of stakeholders in implementing such processes of change. The methodology combines different streams of previous research: 1) a participatory modeling approach to identify problem perceptions, case-specific sustainability innovations as well as related implementation barriers, drivers and responsibilities; 2) a systematic review to identify supportive and impeding learning factors from the general literature that can complement case-specific factors; and 3) a method for the analysis and design of case-specific transition governance processes. Three case studies in Canada (topic: sustainable food systems), Cyprus (water-energy-food nexus) and Germany (sustainable heating supply) have been selected to test and iteratively develop the methodology described above. The results for each case study reveal that there are learning objects (i.e., learning requirements) in all learning contexts, which underscores the importance of multi-level learning in sustainability transitions, ranging from the individual to the group, organizational and policy levels. Actors have various opportunities to actively facilitate societal transformations towards sustainable development either directly through actions at their particular societal levels (i.e., context-internal learning) or indirectly through actions that influence learning at other societal levels. In fact, most of the learning factors require cooperation across learning contexts during the implementation process. The comparing of learning factors across case studies underline the importance of several factor categories, such as ‘physical a ‘disturbance or crisis’, ‘information and knowledge’. Of the 206 factors identified by stakeholders, 40 factors are case-specific and not contained in the general, review-based factor list. This underscores the value of participatory research, as general, top-down analyses might have overlooked these case-specific factors. The methodology presented in this dissertation allows for the identification and analysis of case-specific intervention points for sustainability transitions at multiple societal levels. The methodology furthermore permits the analysis of interplay between individual, group, organizational and policy actions, which is a first step towards their coordination. The focus on sustainability innovations links the broad topic of sustainability transitions to a set of opportunities for practical interventions and overcoming their implementation barriers. The methodology presented allows for the analysis and design of these interlinkages between learning contexts. While the methodology cannot provide any ‘silver bullets’ for inducing sustainability transitions, it is flexible enough to identify an appropriate abstraction level for analyzing and designing transition governance processes. The methodology developed in this doctoral research also provides several contributions for the development of participatory modeling methods in transition research. Thus, the participatory method supports an integrated analysis of barriers and drivers of sustainability innovations, and allows application in practice and education. The concepts and methods developed in this research project allow for reflection on transition governance processes from a systemic viewpoint. Experiences in the case studies underline the applicability of the concepts and methods developed for the analysis of case-specific transition governance processes. Despite substantial differences in the geographic location, culture and topics addressed, all case studies include promising sustainability innovations and the engagement of multiple actors in their implementation. The diversity and multitude of initiatives in the case study regions provides an optimistic outlook on future opportunities for large-scale sustainability transitions.