Written Submission Materials

As part of Map they System, each team must create the following submission materials; a visual systems map, research analysis and a detailed bibliography. Each of these submissions will be scored and evaluated using the Oxford Map the System Evaluation Scorecard. Teams may also be asked to provide a verbal presentation in addition to the written submission materials. Please check with your local campus educator if you need to prepare a verbal presentation. In the drop down items below you will find details on what to include in each submission item.

For the first submission component, participants are required to visually present their findings in the form of a visual systems map. Participants will not only need to demonstrate the importance and complexity of the chosen social or environmental challenge, but also make it accessible, engaging, and clearly understandable by a wider audience.
While participants are not expected to map every component within their system, it is expected that participants go beyond merely creating a network map, an actor map, or a stakeholder map. Participants should focus their efforts only on the components that are relevant in telling the story and necessary to highlight in order to understand the current results of the system — that is, which elements are necessary to explain the current state of the system, including the identification of essential pieces necessary for transformation.
The idea is to make the research accessible and dynamic to a wider audience and to help people comprehend the importance and complexity of the chosen challenge.
- It should be a visualization which shows how the different parts of the system interact with each other to produce the challenge.
- It should clearly show the relationships between the different parts of the system.
- It should show how the combination of these relationships is giving rise to the particular challenge. So, for example, you’d expect to see how these relationships combine to form feedback loops.
Submission Format: a systems map using the Kumu software is preferred, however, students are welcome to submit their systems map(s) using other visual platforms such as PowerPoint, Prezi, PDF, infographic, website.
For the second submission component, participants must accompany their visual systems map with a written summary of their research findings. The purpose of the written research summary is to provide a complementary narrative supplement to their systems map and should also include key insights and lessons learned in their system analysis and insights gathered from the research conducted on the challenge.
Submission Format: .pdf or word file (.doc or .docx) and must not exceed 3,000 words, excluding footnotes.
For the third submission component, participants must submit a detailed bibliography that cites the sources used throughout the research. It should include a diverse range of sources and materials, from academic texts and articles to op-eds and first-person interviews. When possible, participants should include links so that the reader can navigate to the source themselves, and so that participants can support the future research of others interested in the topic.
Submission Format: .pdf or word file (.doc or .docx)
Note: all teams who present at the Canadian National final and the Oxford Global Final must prepare a 10-minute presentation.
Teams will have the opportunity to present their findings before a panel of judges using an online platform such as Zoom. Participants will have an opportunity to briefly present the context of their challenge through a systems thinking lens, highlighting the most important aspects of their systems analysis. Participants are required to demonstrate their understanding of the broader system in which their challenge exists: what are the root causes of the problem, and what might be the elements necessary for transformation? Participants are not asked to provide a solution, but rather to highlight an understanding of the current state of their challenge. Participants should also be able to articulate the new perspective that systems thinking brings to their complex challenge: any assumptions, systemic patterns, connections, gaps, and potential levers of change that the systems analysis has surfaced.
The verbal presentation is the part of the competition that most closely mimics a pitch competition, but only insofar as participants are telling a story. It is less about persuading the judges, and more about impressing on them the depth of research and learning journey, as well as the ability to see connections, gaps, and potential levers of change.
In this part, you can give your team a fun name and, if you like, add a team photo. Including a photo is your choice.
We know adding a team photo might be new for some of you, but it can add a personal touch to your submission. Your team name and photo can make your submission stand out, so feel free to get creative
Sharing your team photo helps us connect with you better and keeps things lively. Plus, it allows us to update your info on the website.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Application of a Systems Thinking Approach - An understanding and use of relevant systems thinking tools and concepts to research, mapping and describing the system in order to present a holistic view of the complex challenge. This includes identifying interconnections, interrelationships, patterns, events and behavior that produce the challenge.

2. Understanding the Challenge Landscape - An understanding of the challenge, root causes, symptoms, and a portrayal of what is holding the status quo in place. This includes identifying key stakeholders affected by the challenge (directly and indirectly), the relationships among them, power dynamics between those impacted, those furthering the challenge, and those with the most power to create change.

3. Understanding the Existing Solution Efforts - An understanding of the existing solution efforts to mitigate the challenge (both local and global efforts), as well as an examination of the links between different solution efforts. These efforts may include business, government, non-profit, or tangential efforts.

4. Identification Levers of Change & Intervention Opportunity - The identification of potential leverage points from which to shift the systems and ideas for what might be missing that could positively impact change. This can include enhancements to current efforts, improvements to government, business, non-profits, researchers, and other actors, or new initiatives. Ideas should be based on lessons learned from solution efforts in other areas or potential tangential challenges, focus areas which seem overlooked, or systems change models which have not been applied to your chosen challenge.

Projects provide a recommendation of where the system should be acted on through suggesting an intervention opportunity (or two or three complementary interventions). Note that the proposed "solution" could be any lever in the system where there is a market/intervention opportunity; it does not need to be a specific product.

5. Key Insights and Lessons Learned - The identification of lessons learned in the system analysis and insights gathered from research conducted on the challenge. Lessons shared are very valuable, deep and include self-reflection on any assumptions tested or opinions changed, demonstrating a learned experience. Lessons identified should be insightful, user-friendly and are possible points of action for anyone working in this area.

Access 2025 Scorecard