Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects

Using a participant–observer research design, a team of modelers designed and implemented modeling guidelines to link semantically rich scenario maps to a formal causal influence diagram of a running simulation model. This process serves to link event thinking to structural thinking. These guideline...

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Main Authors: Howick, S., Ackermann, Fran, Anderson, D.
Format: Journal Article
Published: John Wiley & Sons Ltd 2006
Online Access:http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sdr.332/abstract
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/10957
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author Howick, S.
Ackermann, Fran
Anderson, D.
author_facet Howick, S.
Ackermann, Fran
Anderson, D.
author_sort Howick, S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Using a participant–observer research design, a team of modelers designed and implemented modeling guidelines to link semantically rich scenario maps to a formal causal influence diagram of a running simulation model. This process serves to link event thinking to structural thinking. These guidelines were used in a case, which involved: (1) developing a cause model of scenarios of the promotion of renewable energy sources in the U.K. electric power market from material elicited from a client group; (2) creating a system dynamics model of the same area; and (3) an integration of products 1 and 2 which enabled an analysis of the scenarios using the simulation model. The first two products used standard approaches and are not new; however, the third represents the key output of the research. By linking products 1 and 2, the research aimed to create better client value in the project by combining, in a systematic way, the relevant elements of scenario maps and system dynamics models. The process allows client groups to visualize and comprehend the linkage between event thinking and structural thinking in a complex system. This work informs ongoing research in group model building, strategy modeling (especially using scenarios) and the ongoing debate about qualitative versus quantitative system dynamics.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-109572019-02-19T04:26:46Z Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects Howick, S. Ackermann, Fran Anderson, D. Using a participant–observer research design, a team of modelers designed and implemented modeling guidelines to link semantically rich scenario maps to a formal causal influence diagram of a running simulation model. This process serves to link event thinking to structural thinking. These guidelines were used in a case, which involved: (1) developing a cause model of scenarios of the promotion of renewable energy sources in the U.K. electric power market from material elicited from a client group; (2) creating a system dynamics model of the same area; and (3) an integration of products 1 and 2 which enabled an analysis of the scenarios using the simulation model. The first two products used standard approaches and are not new; however, the third represents the key output of the research. By linking products 1 and 2, the research aimed to create better client value in the project by combining, in a systematic way, the relevant elements of scenario maps and system dynamics models. The process allows client groups to visualize and comprehend the linkage between event thinking and structural thinking in a complex system. This work informs ongoing research in group model building, strategy modeling (especially using scenarios) and the ongoing debate about qualitative versus quantitative system dynamics. 2006 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/10957 10.1002/sdr.332 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sdr.332/abstract John Wiley & Sons Ltd restricted
spellingShingle Howick, S.
Ackermann, Fran
Anderson, D.
Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects
title Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects
title_full Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects
title_fullStr Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects
title_full_unstemmed Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects
title_short Linking Event Thinking with Structural Thinking: Methods to Improve Client Value in Projects
title_sort linking event thinking with structural thinking: methods to improve client value in projects
url http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sdr.332/abstract
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/10957