System Dynamics Applications / 2

2 WHY MODULES ARE IMPORTANT

2.1 MODELS AND MODELLING BUILDING BLOCKS

Models described in this book are built on the system dynamics modelling principles described at Chapter 1 using system dynamics building blocks, or modules, with model-building activities managed within a systems engineering approach. The explanations and demonstrations in this chapter focus on building blocks within the context of modelling sectors and complete models. We use each of these to help us understand better the real-world problems we face.

Modules and models described here are conceptual constructs used to represent systemic problems. Systemic problems may be physical in nature, but mostly they involve people. We denote those as human activity systems (human activity systemic problems). The models we wish to build represent human activity systems or selected parts of human activity systems. These modules, building blocks of structure, and the models we can construct from them are built using systems thinking, mathematics and principles drawn from engineering control theory. To be really useful, the models we build must accommodate both hard (quantitative) and soft (qualitative) concepts and variables, just as exist in the real world.