An Assessment of Individuals’ Systems Thinking Skills via Immersive Virtual Reality Complex System Scenarios

Abstract

This study utilized the application of authentic Virtual Reality (VR) to replicate the real-world complex system scenarios of a large retail supply chain. The proposed VR scenarios were developed based on an established systems thinking instrument that consists of seven dimensions: level of complexity, independence, interaction, change, uncertainty, systems’ worldview, and flexibility. However, in this study, we only developed the VR scenarios for the first dimension, level of complexity, to assess an individual’s Systems Thinking Skills (STS) when he or she engages in a turbulent virtual environment. The main objective of this study was to compare a student’s STS when using traditional ST instruments versus VR scenarios for the complexity dimension. The secondary aim was to investigate the efficacy of VR scenarios utilizing three measurements: Simulation Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), System Usability Scale (SUS), and Presence Questionnaire (PQ). In addition to the three measures, NASA TLX assessment was also performed to assess the perceived workload with regards to performing the tasks in VR scenarios. The results show students’ preferences in the VR scenarios are not significantly different from their responses obtained using the traditional systems skills instrument. The efficacy measures confirmed that the developed VR scenarios are user friendly and lie in an acceptable region for users. Finally, the overall NASA TLX score suggests that users require 36% perceived work effort to perform the activities in VR scenarios.

The organizational systems thinking excellence model (OSTEM)

“…According to Dayarathna et al (2021), researchers sought to comprehend building methods and strategies to quantify an individual's skill set in both a qualitative and a quantitative way throughout time.…”

“…According to Dayarathna et al (2021), many other researchers developed various guidelines and assessment tools to assess ST skills by embedding systems theories and principles.…”

“…According to Dayarathna et al (2021), researchers sought to comprehend building methods and strategies to quantify an individual's skill set in both a qualitative and a quantitative way throughout time. Dorani et al (2015), for example, devised a series of questions to test ST's abilities by merging the ideas of the system thought hierarchical (STH) model and system thinking continuum (STC) model with Richmond's seven thinking tracks model.…”

“…Several authors (Bell & Morse, 2005; Martínez León & Calvo‐Amodio, 2017; Smith, 2011) have described ignoring the adoption of an ST approach in organizations as the most significant barrier to sustainable performance (Jaaron & Backhouse, 2019). This ability is known as ST. ST is the mental process that encourages thinking and communicating in a new holistic language (Dayarathna et al, 2021).…”

“…The identification and evaluation of ST skills become more important as the popularity and development of systems theories and methods increase. More emphasis is placed on the development of tools and methods that can effectively determine and measure ST skills (Dayarathna et al, 2021).…”