System dynamics and group facilitation: contributions from communication theory

Abstract

In this paper a theoretical approach to group facilitation is introduced, based on the work of the so-called Palo Alto school in communication and psychotherapy. This approach permits an analysis of group facilitation processes on the basis of several important principles that also inform system dynamics model building and simulation. On the basis of this analysis existing lists of appropriate facilitation skills and attitudes may be supplemented with three guidelines, leading to greater insight into the quality of the process of group model building and possible ways to evaluate that process. Ultimately, the growth and proliferation of system dynamics models and simulations depend on improvement of both process and content of modeling and simulation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.