This course comprises of the following 12 patterns:

1. Automaticity of being
2. Bad is stronger than good
3. Confirmation Bias
4. Fundamental Attribution Error
5. Metrics as guides
6. Network effect
7. Prisoner’s dilemma
8. Mixed strategy
9. Butterfly effect
10. Long tail
11. Bubbles

12. Tragedy of the Commons   

These patterns are aimed at enhancing our understanding of complex systems - and humans definitely fall into this category. However, if you have an engineering mindset, you might appreciate understanding, but even more something specific that can be used to evaluate a puzzling phenomenon or to solve a daily challenge. The patterns differ in this sense; we can rank them on a scale from “mostly for understanding” to “suitable for formal modeling” as follows:

P4 - P3 - P1 - P5 - P9 - P12 - P11 - P2 - P8 - P7 - P10 - P6

Fundamental attribution error (P4) is hard to quantify while it is worth being aware of the phenomenon. Moreover, when building, say, an analytical model of mistakes made in a large software development project, one may tend to treat one's own organization differently from others – and fundamental attribution error can be helpful to identify some biases in the analysis. At the other end of the list, a formal model like the network effect (P6) can lead to the conclusion that an exact formula is sufficient and that no deeper consideration is required. On the contrary, a model should not the used as a substitute for critical thinking.

Finally, it pays to simply know the names of commonly used patterns, like confirmation bias, prisoner’s dilemma, butterfly effect, network effect, and tragedy of commons with at least rudimentary understanding of the nature of the pattern. Of course, it is even more useful to be able to exploit some of the patterns in either professional or personal contexts. I am totally convinced that anyone participating into this course will find some interesting and useful patterns. 

Teaching methods include lectures, games, 2 group assignment (with presentation) and games played both individually and in small groups. As to the desired result (learning something useful) the main factors are motivation and effort. I hope that you have an interesting and revarding period of six weeks.

Best wishes,

Kalevi Kilkki
Seniour University Lecturer
Aalto University


Last modified: Wednesday, 20 October 2021, 1:34 PM