Model-building for group decision support: Issues and alternatives in knowledge elicitation

Abstract System dynamics models are often created using multiple streams of information including quantitative data, written records, and information contained in the mental models of both individuals and groups. While qualitative sources of information are widely recognized as important in all stages of the model-building process, little systematic research has been completed on how best to elicit and map this knowledge from groups of experts. In this article, we survey the existing literature on mapping and eliciting knowledge for system dynamics modeling and also explore the literature in the broader fields of cognitive psychology and small group processes. Special attention is paid to new software advances to support these processes. Two case studies illustrate how these knowledge-eliciting techniques can be used to support the construction of computer simulation models.