Pedigree for SD methodology

[Robert Glitz]

John Wolfenden wrote:

> Can anyone tell me of other examples that I can use to reassure people?
> Perhaps we could have a register of current and recent projects?

John,

This is a good project. I can use the examples also.

We are trying to instill SD methods in parts of the US Dept of Defense.
So far, my contractors have worked projects in the Air National Guard
(modeling the Mission Demand Management process as well as looking at
the dynamics of workforce diversity), the US Marine Corps (looking at
recruiting, retention, and training lifecycle issues), the Army National
Guard (analyzing retention and force planning issues), and The office of
the Under Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (finanicial systems
integration). The contractors, GDSS, Inc., have also used SD in various
civilian-world projects, with which I am less familiar.

gday.

LtCol Robert J. Glitz, USAF
Deputy, CIO - Air National Guard/SC
Andrews AFB, MD
rglitz@erols.com

[cpettijo@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Ca]

John

I am working on a project that models the State of Florida in terms of
tax
evenue policy. It uses changes in federal revenue and state revenue to
model how it affects changes in expenditure for services, need for services,
public opinion and in/out migration to the state. The model was begun by
Dr. Fiona Chen. She and I worked on it and I inherited it after she left
Florida State. Im in the process of converting it to Ithink (originally in
a very old version of Dynamo) and validating the model.

I think you have asked an interesting question. I am interested in seeing
public sector uses of SD as I teach a section on SD in our Public
Administration curriculum. cp



Dr. Carole D. Pettijohn <cpettijo@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>

It is with the heart that one sees rightly; what is essential is invisible
to the eye. Antoine De Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

[cpettijo@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Ca]

John

I am working on a project that models the State of Florida in terms of
tax
evenue policy. It uses changes in federal revenue and state revenue to
model how it affects changes in expenditure for services, need for services,
public opinion and in/out migration to the state. The model was begun by
Dr. Fiona Chen. She and I worked on it and I inherited it after she left
Florida State. Im in the process of converting it to Ithink (originally in
a very old version of Dynamo) and validating the model.

I think you have asked an interesting question. I am interested in seeing
public sector uses of SD as I teach a section on SD in our Public
Administration curriculum. cp

Dr. Carole D. Pettijohn <cpettijo@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>

It is with the heart that one sees rightly; what is essential is invisible
to the eye. Antoine De Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

[Luis Maumejean]

>Can anyone tell me of other examples that I can use to reassure people?
>Perhaps we could have a register of current and recent projects? =20
>
Hello John

Im principal of Cyborg a consulting company based in Mexico, we are
presently engaged in a project with several stages trying to simulate
municipal decision making through SD models, the frist part deals with
economic issues thar are quantifyable the next modules deal with qualitative
issues but from the begining global interaction is considered. The domains
are Economics, Political, Social, Ecological and Information, we use logic
graphs for the original schematics, this facilitates coherence and same
level of data manipulation. Our project is planned to deliver some initial
results by early March.

Im interested in your progress, good luck

Luis Maumejean
lmaumeje@kin.cyborg.com.mx

[John Wolfenden]

Dear Luis

Thank you for your comments on the work you are doing in Mexico. I am
particularly interested in the municipal government scene. We have recently
run a training course for local government planners entitled "Integrative
Learning Process for Planning". We presented a variety of material
including basic systems theory, through the ideas of learning organisations
to the use of iThink as a group consensus building tool.

I mentioned that work in progress included what you are doing. There was a
lot interest to find out more about the sort of things you are doing. The
course participants were eager to hear of uses of the software that other
people have found in the local (municipal) government domain.

1. Can you give me more details on what you are doing?
2. How are you extending work to date to the municipal decision makers?

I would very much appreciate any comments you can make on this.

Kind regards

John

------------------------------------------------------------------
John Wolfenden
Centre for Water Policy Research
University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
Phone 61 67 732420 Fax 61 67 733237 email jwolfend@metz.une.edu.au
Mobile 0412 245 234

Postgraduate Coordinator, Australian and New Zealand Society for Ecological
Economics
Member New England Ecological Economics Group
- see web pages at http://www.une.edu.au/cwpr/neeg.html

[John Wolfenden]

Hello all and Happy New Year!

Working with groups of people involved in public management issues like
Integrated Catchment (Watershed) Management and local government planning we
are frequently asked where has all this been done before? The all this
is a learning systems approach using causal loop diagrams and Stella to
articulate problems and investigate appropriate courses of action.

We tell people about its heritage in MIT at Boston (but being Australia I
dont think many people outside academe appreciate MITs prestige), and its
application as a leading edge business management tool. We explain that we
are extending it on the ground to deal with everyday environment
management issues faced by local and regional management groups (perhaps
incorporating volunteers and community activists). This is all very well,
but the thing that seems to quiet their fears about the unknown, is to hear
that this stuff has been used in particular instances with successful outcome.

I would like to compile a list of such examples of the successful use of a
systems methodology to (particularly) public management problems. So far, I
have the following:

Jeroen van den Berghs work in modelling ecotourism and development issues
in the Greek Sporades Islands;
Management of the maintenance scheduling of the Australian F111 aircraft
fleet (they seem to like that one!);
Policy governing access by beekeepers to national parks in Tasmania;
Jim Hines recently mentioned that Eastman Chemical Co, General Motors and
Hewlett Packard have used SD analysis. These are corporate names we are
familiar with in Australia so I will use them as examples also.

Can anyone tell me of other examples that I can use to reassure people?
Perhaps we could have a register of current and recent projects?

I will be happy to post to the list a summary of responses I get for
everyones information.

Regards

John
------------------------------------------------------------------
John Wolfenden
Centre for Water Policy Research
University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
Phone 61 67 732420 Fax 61 67 733237 email jwolfend@metz.une.edu.au

Postgraduate Coordinator, Australian and New Zealand Society for Ecological
Economics
Member New England Ecological Economics Group
- see web pages at http://www.une.edu.au/cwpr/neeg.html

[Michael Bean]

At 10:12 AM 1/13/97 +1100, John Wolfenden wrote:

>I would like to compile a list of such examples of the successful use of a
>systems methodology to (particularly) public management problems.

We have been working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for
the past year developing a "Fish Banks" type simulation game dealing with
conservation and land use issues and their effect on soil, wildlife, and
water quality. The project is named CRP Choices and Consequences. To quote
the project abstract--

This project develops an interactive learning tool for groups and
individuals to look at problems and solutions for CRP lands as part of a
broader question regarding the sustainable use and conservation of all grass
and forage lands within a landscape area. Using this tool professionals can
help landowners, communities, and agencies which serve them, learn about
each others interests and how their individual and collective choices will
shape a more (or less) sustainable future.

For more information see:
http:/
rbin.cfa.org
rbin/projects/esp/simsar3.html

The priciple investigators on the project are Peter Buesseler (MN Dept of
Natural Resources), Steve Taff (University of MN), Don Seville (GKA), and me.

Regards, Michael

------------------------
Michael Bean
micbe@powersim.com

Powersim Simulator Services
350 Bay St. Suite 100-117
San Francisco, CA 94133

Phone: 415-956-8014
Virginia: 703-481-1270
Fax: 415-956-4252
www.powersim.com
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