Systems diagramming

Pictures speak louder than words. But how can you use diagrams to help you? This free course, Systems diagramming, looks at how diagrams can be used to represent information and ideas about complex situations. You will learn how to read, draw and presentdiagrams to help illustrate how ideas or processes are connected.Please note: This course contains a Flash activity which is no longer playable. It is being updated. This course can still be studied, but you may like to postpone your study for now if you would rather have the full experience.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 How to use this course
• 1 How to use this course
• 2 What is a diagram?
• 2 What is a diagram?
• 2.1 Diagrams as models
• 2.2 Features of diagrams
• 2.3 Structure and process
• 3 Why do people use diagrams?
• 3 Why do people use diagrams?
• 3.1 Visualisers and verbalisers
• 3.2 Varying cognitive styles
• 3.3 Conveying information to others
• 3.4 Thinking through diagrams
• 3.5 Working with other people's diagrams – representing text as diagrams
• 3.6 Key points
• 3.7 Working with other people's diagrams – reading diagrams
• 3.8 Reading diagrams: questioning what they say
• 3.9 Key points
• 4 Why do systems thinkers use diagrams?
• 4 Why do systems thinkers use diagrams?
• 4.1 Systems diagrams and diagrams helpful for systems work
• 4.2 Diagrams for understanding
• 4.3 Diagrams for connectivity
• 4.4 Diagrams for further analysis and quantitative model building
• 4.5 Diagrams for diagnosis
• 4.6 Diagrams for planning and implementation
• 4.7 Diagrams for communication
• Conclusion
• References
• Acknowledgements