ESD.00 | Spring 2011 | Undergraduate

Introduction to Engineering Systems

Lecture Notes

SES # TOPICS KEY THEMES LECTURE NOTES
L1 Introduction to critical contemporary issues (CCIs)and complex systems Trillion dollar problems; examples from CCIs; ESD focus areas (energy, healthcare, critical infrastructure etc); definitions of system; complexity; system boundary; scale, interfaces; agents; architecture; what is ‘design’ of CSS; project introductions (PDF)
L2 System dynamics I: Introduction Modeling complex systems; feedback; causal diagrams (PDF)
L3 System dynamics II: System structure and behavior Stock and flows; linear and non-linear first order systems (PDF)
L4 System dynamics III: Simulation   (PDF)
L5 Uncertainty I: Introduction Introduction to random variables; probability; statistics (PDF)
L6 Uncertainty II: Applications Designing for flexibility; planning for uncertainty (forecasts etc.), policy robustness (PDF)
L7 Networks I: Introduction, structure, and behavior Examples of transportation, communication, social networks, etc. (PDF)
L8 Networks II: Applications Implications of network structure and system behavior; network optimization (PDF)
L9 Considering stakeholders with different values in decision making Considering stakeholders with different values in decision making (PDF)
L10 Class field trip    
L11 Design of an Engineering Systems Division (ESD) undergraduate major    
L12 Final project oral presentations    

Course Info

Learning Resource Types
Problem Sets with Solutions
Lecture Notes
Projects with Examples