REPLY Fraction of Projects Qualitative (SD6068)

[Jim Hines Jim ventanasystems.com]

Posted by  "Jim Hines" <Jim at ventanasystems.com>
My friend Jim Thompson writes that he doesn't count conversations about
structure and dynamics as 'system dynamics projects'.  

I think Jim is talking about what constitutes a project, rather than what
constitutes system dynamics.  Jim would probably agree that these
conversations involve **doing** system dynamics -- that is, figuring out how
structure generates behavior.

Maybe M. Schwant's presenter was referring to the number of **issues**
handled informally, vs. formally. If so, I can report that I handle lots
more issues using informal techniques (up to causal loop diagramming), than
using simulation modeling -- including the most important issues, like those
in my marriage.  It's a question of budgets.  No one has the time- or
money-budget to create a computer simulation model for most of the issues
they face.   

Jim Hines
Posted by  "Jim Hines" <Jim at ventanasystems.com>
posting date  Fri, 1 Dec 2006 11:49:48 -0500