System Dynamics Applications / 2 / 2.3

2.3 TAKING ACTION TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM SITUATION

Once we have tested our conceptual model(s) against the expressed problem situation, we can set about designing changes we wish to make to the real-world situation. This book does not address how to go about doing this though much of the information we need to do this is gained from comparing what we have learned from building our conceptual models with the real-world situation as we have formally expressed it. Scenario Planning (van der Heijden, 1996) and Iterative and Interactive Strategy Development (IISD) (McLucas, 2003) are valuable aids to assist in the design and development of management interventions. However, the main focus at this point is to learn about the problem situation’s dynamics and their causal underpinnings.

In Figure 2-1, comparing (4) with (2) and extracting all the necessary lessons from modelling will require more than a single cycle of activity. The whole methodology is iterative in its application and there may well be a need to iterate through the activities (2), (3), (4), (5) (2) before gaining sufficient confidence to proceed to (6).