Subject: Summary - How Do We Think About Models

Posted by Bill Braun on 1/27/2010
In Reply To:Summary - How Do We Think About Models Posted by Niall Palfreyman on 1/26/2010

Message:

I have also found value in the metaphorical stories. At the same time I feel a twinge of caution. I think it has to do with the audience.

For a fourth or fifth grader, I expect the metaphors to be powerful and effective. What about when talking to the president of the school board?

In my years in organizations working with people in other/related disciplines (LEAN for example) their response to What do you do? is pretty straightforward. "We have an X step process that reveals barriers to peak performance." There it is, in one brief sentence - what we do and the benefits to you. Rarely have I ever heard them speak using metaphorical stories. (It also begs the question, What are the steps?)

In other words, they have a methodology that can be easily articulated.
I think SD has an equally concrete methodology. I know it as the Hines method, but I'm sure every SD practitioner has a similar method.

1. List of variables
2. Reference Modes
3. Momentum policies
4. Dynamic Hypothesis
5. Simulate first loop
6. Analyze first loop
7. Repeat

In plain English

1. What has your attention?
2. Is it getting worse, getting better (goal seeking, decay), out of control (exponential), can't make up it's mind (oscillation), promising, then bust (overshoot and collapse)?
3. And if you do nothing?
4. What would explain the behavior?
5. Take a deeper dive.
6. What is the deep dive telling us?
7. What's next?

I rarely hear people speak of a specific and concrete SD methodology.
(Could be I am not paying attention.) To me it confers an established, credible, proven way of doing things.

I am not speaking ill of metaphors. I think they have their place (and a good place at that). I question (but do not claim to know for sure) if the president of the school board has the time or interest in metaphorical stories.

Regards,

Bill Braun

Follow Ups:

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