REPLY Getting a Good Problem Statement (SD6550)

[SDMAIL David Rees]

Posted by  "David Rees" <david.rees at hpls.co.nz>

While concept models are an important part of developing understanding and
engagement in the SD process it seems to me that they sit around step 2 or
3.  There are many assumptions that go into choosing the concept model and
rely on the modeller 'getting it right' in terms of initial understanding.
Systems Thinking in all its guises assumes everything is connected to
everything else; we cannot model everything however so we have to make
choices - it is these boundary choices, hopefully made with rather than for
the client, that is at the core of developing good problem statements. As
the work of Midgley and Ulrich highlight, choosing the boundaries determines
what's in, what's out, whose viewpoints will be considered and whose will be
ignored. Starting with concepts models is fine if the task is to engage
someone in SD modelling.  However, if that task is to solve a problem, and
SD is the tool you are using, the challenge starts earlier.

David
Posted by  "David Rees" <david.rees at hpls.co.nz>
posting date  Sun, 2 Sep 2007 10:31:43 +1200