Abbe Boulah’s Weblog

The following is a partial demonstration of how a ‘formalized’ IBIS – type structure might represent a discussion such as the Linked-In SystemsThinkers World thread started by Helene Finidori [Giraud] on the UN call for revolutionary thinking and action to ensure an economic model for survival. The posts on the thread are the ‘verbatim file‘ of the discourse support system; the following are a first sample of a topic list (A) and a list of issues (B). In a project accompanying a discussion, these would have been generated as the discussion proceeds; in this case, the selection represents a subset of ‘basic’ questions I summarized from a large number of posts at the time I joined the discussion. None of the parts should be considered exhaustive representations of the subject matter.
The beginning discourse is displayed in the two overview maps: one for the first ten or so tbasc topics, the other for one specific question.

A) Topics:
The topics are numbered, roughly in the sequence they are raised, for reference.

1 UN Call: Revolutionary Thinking & Action
to ensure economic model for survival
2 Finidori group response
3 Revolutionary thinking
4 Revolutionary action
5 Economic model for survival
6 System
7 Model
8 Other conceptual approaches
9 Sustainability
10 Threats to humanity survival

B) Issues
(Reminder: Each topic generates a set (‘family’) of potential issues or questions:
Factual questions (F); Deontic Questions (D); Explanatory of description questions (E)’
Instrumental questions (I); Factual-instrumental or relationship questions (FI);
Associated problems questions (PR); Questions for criteria for solving / answering the respective questions) (CR).
The issues are identified by topic number abd question type, plus additional number if there are several issues of the same type for the topic. Questions that have not been explicitly raised may not have a number yet.
WQ: “Wrong question”; inadequate view of problem (with suggestion for different view or issue)

1 UN Call
>> 2 Finidori group response?
>> 3 Revolutionary thinking
>> 4 Revolutionary action
>> 5 Economic model for survival

2 Finidori group response
2 D Group response?
Should the Finidori Group / Systems Thinking World
develop a response to the UN call?
WQ: Goals of effort?
2 I Possible response structure / organization / nature?
>> Systems thinking approach?
>> Summary of posts?
>> Organization of material (Grouping/Classification/)
>> Use data mining /clustering programs to develop structure?
>> One recommendation?
>> Set of a few major recommendations?
>> 5 Economic system model?
>> 10 Analysis and response to threats (UN list)?
2D2 Report author?
2D3 Report timeline?

3 Revolutionary thinking
3E Revolutionary thinking?
>> Developing / adopting new thought approaches?
>> Challenging / abandoning past/current thinking?

4 Revolutionary action
4E Revolutionary action (to ensure economic model)
>> Innovative initiatives / programs /actions?
>> (Revolutionary) reversal of current activities?
4D Revolutionary action?

5 Economic model for survival
5E1 Economic model for survival?
>> 7 Model
>> 6 System
WQ: Economic system is only part of overall system that should be discussed
WQ: The problem should be discussed in terms of >> 9 Sustainability
5E2 Current economic model?

6 System
6D Use systems thinking as approach for response to UN challenge?
6E1 System (Definition? Description?)
6E2 Systems Thinking: Approach?
WQ: Explore other conceptual approaches to the problem
>> 8 Other approaches

7 Model
7E Model?
7D (Group:) Develop a new model?

8 Other conceptual approaches
8E What other approaches to the challenge could be considered?

9 Sustainability
(Group changed discussion vocabulary from ‘survival’ to ‘sustainability’)
9E Sustainability?
9CR Criteria for sustainability?
10 Threats to humanity survival (UN List of threats)
10 D1 Use threat list as vehicle for analyzing response to UN challenge?
10E Threats to humanity survival (UN list)

—-
C Individual issues (selected sample)

2 I Possible response structure / organization / nature?
1 The response should be a result and demonstration of Systems Thinking Approach to such problems >> Systems thinking approach?

2 The report should be a (condensed, organized) summary of the different posts
>> Summary of posts?
>> Organization of material (Grouping/Classification/)?
>> Use data mining /clustering programs to develop structure?

3 The group should attempt to arrive at one coherent set of recommendations
>> One recommendation?
4 The report should present a few major recommendation packages
(since different contributors presented different views of the problem)
>> Set of a few major recommendations?
5 The report should respond to what the UN calls for: an economic model
>> 5 Economic system model?
6 The report should adopt the approach of responding to the UN list of threats
to humanity survival (already analyzed by the UN) >> 10 Analysis and response to threats (UN list)?
7 The report should not presume to arrive at an answer (since it does not have the time or resources to actualy perform analysis, model construction and testing (e.g. by simulation):
it should suggest a process for the global broad based discourse to arrive at a solution
>> Process for Discourse?
====

Map 1: the first set of ‘basic issues’ of the discussion
====

Map 2: Issues for one selected topic

====