Ackermann, Fran with Terry M. Williams, Colin Eden, Andrew J. Tate, "Using Cognitive Mapping to Develop a Large System Dynamics Model", 1994

ua435

This paper describes the use of System Dynamics (SD) for making a claim for Disruption and Delay. The case concerns design management of a large development project. Extensive group workshops (GDSS) with the managers, based on the cognitive mapping technique and association software tope COPE, showed that the client-contractor interaction process had set up dynamic feedback loops creating Disruption and Delay to the project. In order to qualify the extent of the Disruption and Delay, the cognitive map was transformed into an "influence diagram" and thence through the acquisition of numeric data into a large SD model. The development of the two continued in parallel, informing and checking one another. As well as simply providing explanations of trends and behavior, the SD model had to reproduce the planned and actual out-turns explicitly for it to be a creditable explanatory tool. The paper will draw lessons from the case study on the process of moving from cognitive map to a SD model, and the mutual benefits of joint development, as well as more general lessons about combining soft and hard methods.

This is the whole item.

Date created
  • 1994
Type
Processing Activity License

ITEM CONTEXT

Part of

fe35db792b573af835d96e6eba4759cd

Scope and Contents
Part of

c060552994c1527f70693734935660f1

Scope and Contents
Part of

23d738ba88f8333bc39725f9cb5bd0b8

Scope and Contents
Collection

System Dynamic Society Records

Scope and Contents
Collecting area

Items