Graduate Student Research Symposium 2025

From a Connectivist paradigm, this presentation evaluates four different digital tools that support organizations in “seeing the system” as organizations navigate through the six principles of Improvement Science. “Seeing the System” in Improvement Science is especially critical as organizations work to understand the root cause of their outcomes. Improvement Science offers tools such as fishbone diagrams, driver diagrams, and empathy interviews, to support and guide organizations to conduct causal systems analyses. And, as complex systems and large organizations rely heavily on online technology-driven communication and collaboration (especially in a post-COVID environment), it is important for these Networked Improvement Communities (NICs) to effectively use digital tools to document and organize their improvement efforts. These digital tools have the potential to support individuals within organizations to collaborate, share their learnings, and identify the gaps within their systems that produce the undesired outcomes that the individuals seek to change.