Using system dynamics to model "soft" variable

[rglitz@angrc.ang.af.mil]

To Mr. Stephen Robbins, in answer to his question about using SD to model
"soft" variables:

We hope to be using SD and the product ithink(tm) to model a combination of
hard and soft variables for a branch of the US military. Some of the
variables we hope to examine/predict include quality of life, customer
satisfaction, perception of quality, and military readiness. (The latter may
only be semi-soft.) Unfortunately, I cant give you a progress report,
because I only just received funding and we wont start until after the new
year.

In the meantime, I would like to recommend to you the software documentation
from the ithink product, available from High Performance Systems, Inc. (603)
643-9636. I usually think that software documentation is for sissies, but
these products are gems of instruction in SD and include many examples of
modeling "soft" variables. (Refer particularly to Vol 1: Introduction to
Systems Thinking and ithink, Part 2, Chapter 9, Modeling "Soft" Variables,
pp. 163-73.) (No, I do not work for HPS.)

Happy Holidays,

Robert Glitz
Andrews AFB, MD