Subject: Summary - How Do We Think About Models

Posted by Niall Palfreyman on 1/26/2010
In Reply To:Summary - How Do We Think About Models Posted by Bill Braun on 1/26/2010

Message:

Bill Braun schrieb:
> As time passes I am leaning in the direction of the elevator
> invitation rather than the speech. By that I mean a very short
> statement that itself invites a response. For example, in response to
> what do you do, I might say, "I work with folks to make the complex
> understandable. Does that strike a chord with you? [or] Are you in
> such a situation?"
>
> I think a conversation that engages the other person will make more
> headway than a speech or monologue.
I like the idea of starting with a question of this kind, since it reflects the (to my mind) truth that I cannot communicate anything to anyone unless I meet them at the place where they are right now. Maybe they're not in the mood right now for chat, or maybe they're open to a discussion of farming, but not of politics. This question gives me a chance to find that out. But if they're open to a chat about farming I really liked Gene's story about the bugs - it's simple and enticing. If they're more into school discipline, maybe I can shift the metaphor from bugs to students, and from crop spraying to disciplinary measures.
That's what's so great about the systems archetypes: they're skeleton metaphors waiting to be clothed in the details of a specific story.

Best wishes,
Niall.

Follow Ups:

Summary - How Do We Think About Models - Bill Braun 1/27/2010 
Summary - How Do We Think About Models - Niall Palfreyman 1/27/2010
Summary - How Do We Think About Models - Bill Braun 1/27/2010
Summary - How Do We Think About Models - Niall Palfreyman 1/28/2010