Thissen, Wil, "Guidelines and Tools for Understanding Dynamic Models", 1976
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Starting from the aims and difficulties of social systems modeling this paper argues that a good understanding of dynamic mathematical models is indispensible. The author’s background, and its relation to System Dynamics is elucidated, and a number of definitions are given of concepts and terms that will be employed. A set of general guidelines, and a list of strategies and tools for understanding follow. Most of the methods presented have been applied successfully in an extensive study of the World Models by Forrester and Meadows et al., and are commonly used in systems and control engineering. The main emphasis is on techniques are points of view that are generally unknown to researchers and practicians in the non-technical disciplines.