General
The popular Modeling Assistance Workshop will be offered again this year. Modeling assistance opportunities in Athens include two workshops, as well as the opportunity to obtain modeling assistance at any time during the conference. Jack Homer and Rod MacDonald will be organizing and directing these activities.
This offering enables participants to obtain one-on-one coaching on specific modeling questions. Questions may relate to a model that you are thinking about, studying, or developing. Questions may also relate to something that you don't understand in one of the system dynamics textbooks or software packages. You might even get the author of the textbook or software as your coach!
All levels of modeling background are welcome, from beginner to advanced. Modeling questions may cover problem articulation, dynamic hypothesis, model formulation, model testing, or policy design and evaluation. Bring whatever materials you need to describe your modeling question, including pencil and paper, diagrams, articles, books, or laptop computers. If you bring a computer, be sure your battery is fully charged, as we cannot guarantee electrical power or power adapters.
Schedule
Most of the modeler-coach pairings will be scheduled during one of the
workshops to be held Monday and Tuesday during the hour immediately before the lunch break. Although each workshop is
formally only one hour long, the workshop has been scheduled before lunch so
that modelers and coaches may continue their discussions into the
lunch period if they so desire. Others who would like to observe the process
are cordially invited to join as spectators during these public workshops.
In
addition, we plan to have a room with flipcharts, worktables and chairs, and
electrical power to be continuously available throughout the conference for
one-on-one modeling assistance sessions outside of the two public workshop
times.
Signing up
Modelers: If you think you may be
interested in receiving assistance on a modeling question at the conference,
please notify us in advance of the conference by writing to Rod MacDonald at rod@isdps.org. Your writing in advance will
help us arrange for sufficient coaching resources, and will also act as an
early registration (first come, first served) in case we can arrange only a
limited number of coaches. Finally, if you would like some help framing your
modeling question, Rod will be pleased to work with you via email to help you
clarify them.
Coaches: If you think
you may be interested in coaching, please write to Jack Homer at jhomer@comcast.net. Jack will work with
you via email to ensure that the modeling question assigned to you is
commensurate with your system dynamics abilities and interests.
Spectators: We have had numerous
spectators at past Modeling Assistance Workshops. All are welcome to join the
two public workshops as spectators.