Using Complex Adaptive Systems Thinking to Understand Community Interdependencies

FEMA PrepTalks

Dr. “Chick” Macal’s PrepTalk “Using Complex Adaptive Systems Thinking to Understand Community Interdependencies,” urges emergency managers to apply the principles of systems thinking to their work in preparedness and response. “We find that what is written down in the plans for organizational decision-making is completely different than what actually occurs in the … event of a disaster or emergency,” Dr. Macal said.

Systems thinking helps to expose hidden interdependencies of human behavior, critical infrastructure, and decision-making in today’s complex world. Dr. Macal is the Chief Scientist of Argonne National Laboratory’s Resilient Infrastructure Initiative.

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