IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0218875.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Turning conceptual systems maps into dynamic simulation models: An Australian case study for diabetes in pregnancy

Author

Listed:
  • Louise Freebairn
  • Jo-An Atkinson
  • Nathaniel D Osgood
  • Paul M Kelly
  • Geoff McDonnell
  • Lucie Rychetnik

Abstract

Background: System science approaches are increasingly used to explore complex public health problems. Quantitative methods, such as participatory dynamic simulation modelling, can mobilise knowledge to inform health policy decisions. However, the analytic and practical steps required to turn collaboratively developed, qualitative system maps into rigorous and policy-relevant quantified dynamic simulation models are not well described. This paper reports on the processes, interactions and decisions that occurred at the interface between modellers and end-user participants in an applied health sector case study focusing on diabetes in pregnancy. Methods: An analysis was conducted using qualitative data from a participatory dynamic simulation modelling case study in an Australian health policy setting. Recordings of participatory model development workshops and subsequent meetings were analysed and triangulated with field notes and other written records of discussions and decisions. Case study vignettes were collated to illustrate the deliberations and decisions made throughout the model development process. Results: The key analytic objectives and decision-making processes included: defining the model scope; analysing and refining the model structure to maximise local relevance and utility; reviewing and incorporating evidence to inform model parameters and assumptions; focusing the model on priority policy questions; communicating results and applying the models to policy processes. These stages did not occur sequentially; the model development was cyclical and iterative with decisions being re-visited and refined throughout the process. Storytelling was an effective strategy to both communicate and resolve concerns about the model logic and structure, and to communicate the outputs of the model to a broader audience. Conclusion: The in-depth analysis reported here examined the application of participatory modelling methods to move beyond qualitative conceptual mapping to the development of a rigorously quantified and policy relevant, complex dynamic simulation model. The analytic objectives and decision-making themes identified provide guidance for interpreting, understanding and reporting future participatory modelling projects and methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Louise Freebairn & Jo-An Atkinson & Nathaniel D Osgood & Paul M Kelly & Geoff McDonnell & Lucie Rychetnik, 2019. "Turning conceptual systems maps into dynamic simulation models: An Australian case study for diabetes in pregnancy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(6), pages 1-27, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0218875
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218875
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218875
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218875&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0218875?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sterman, J.D., 2006. "Learning from evidence in a complex world," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 96(3), pages 505-514.
    2. Gabriele Bammer, 2017. "Should we discipline interdisciplinarity?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(1), pages 1-4, December.
    3. Jonathan Karnon & James Stahl & Alan Brennan & J. Jaime Caro & Javier Mar & Jörgen Möller, 2012. "Modeling Using Discrete Event Simulation," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 32(5), pages 701-711, September.
    4. Nigel Gilbert & Petra Ahrweiler & Pete Barbrook-Johnson & Kavin Preethi Narasimhan & Helen Wilkinson, 2018. "Computational Modelling of Public Policy: Reflections on Practice," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 21(1), pages 1-14.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Amorocho-Daza, Henry & Sušnik, Janez & van der Zaag, Pieter & Slinger, Jill H., 2025. "A model-based policy analysis framework for social-ecological systems: Integrating uncertainty and participation in system dynamics modelling," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 499(C).
    2. Henry Amorocho‐Daza & Pieter van der Zaag & Janez Sušnik, 2024. "Ethical considerations of using system dynamics in participatory settings: a social‐ecological‐systems perspective," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 40(2), April.
    3. Arielle R. Deutsch & Leah Frerichs & Madeleine Perry & Mohammad S. Jalali, 2024. "Participatory modeling for high complexity, multi‐system issues: challenges and recommendations for balancing qualitative understanding and quantitative questions," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 40(4), October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Paulo Gonçalves & Paolo Ferrari & Luca Crivelli & Emiliano Albanese, 2023. "Model‐informed health system reorganization during emergencies," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(5), pages 1323-1344, May.
    2. Sridharan, Sanjeev & Jones, Bobby & Caudill, Barry & Nakaima, April, 2016. "Steps towards incorporating heterogeneities into program theory: A case study of a data-driven approach," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 88-97.
    3. Yao Zhu & Shousheng Chai & Jieqi Chen & Ian Phau, 2024. "How was rural tourism developed in China? Examining the impact of China’s evolving rural tourism policies," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(11), pages 28945-28969, November.
    4. Wenjing Luo & Zhi Qiu & Yurika Yokoyama & Shengyuan Zheng, 2022. "Decision-Making Mechanism of Joint Activities for the Elderly and Children in Integrated Welfare Facilities: A Discussion Based on “Motivation–Constraint” Interaction Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-23, August.
    5. repec:mpr:mprres:6558 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Stefan Scholz & Thomas Mittendorf, 2014. "Modeling rheumatoid arthritis using different techniques - a review of model construction and results," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-16, December.
    7. Cyrille Rigolot, 2020. "Transdisciplinarity as a discipline and a way of being: complementarities and creative tensions," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(1), pages 1-5, December.
    8. Xiuxian Wang & Na Geng & Jianxin Qiu & Zhibin Jiang & Liping Zhou, 2020. "Markov model and meta-heuristics combined method for cost-effectiveness analysis," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 213-235, March.
    9. Cyrille Rigolot, 2021. "Organizing and better understanding transdisciplinarity in the context of artificial intelligence expansion: a crucial role for the new alliance between economics and engineering," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 48(4), pages 615-620, December.
    10. de Moura, Fernanda Senra & Barbrook-Johnson, Peter, 2022. "Using data-driven systems mapping to contextualise complexity economics insights," INET Oxford Working Papers 2022-27, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    11. Simone A. Huygens & Isaac Corro Ramos & Carlijn V. C. Bouten & Jolanda Kluin & Shih Ting Chiu & Gary L. Grunkemeier & Johanna J. M. Takkenberg & Maureen P. M. H. Rutten-van Mölken, 2020. "Early cost-utility analysis of tissue-engineered heart valves compared to bioprostheses in the aortic position in elderly patients," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 21(4), pages 557-572, June.
    12. Hassmiller Lich, Kristen & Urban, Jennifer Brown & Frerichs, Leah & Dave, Gaurav, 2017. "Extending systems thinking in planning and evaluation using group concept mapping and system dynamics to tackle complex problems," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 254-264.
    13. Yuxuan Xu & Jiangbo Chang & Fang Su, 2024. "Multi-Scale Evaluation and Simulation of Livelihood Efficiency in Post-Poverty Mountainous Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-35, October.
    14. Boelsen-Robinson, Tara & Blake, Miranda R. & Brown, Andrew D. & Huse, Oliver & Palermo, Claire & George, Neetu A. & Peeters, Anna, 2021. "Mapping factors associated with a successful shift towards healthier food retail in community-based organisations: A systems approach," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    15. Negar Darabi & Niyousha Hosseinichimeh, 2020. "System dynamics modeling in health and medicine: a systematic literature review," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 36(1), pages 29-73, January.
    16. David Rees & Janet Stephenson & Debbie Hopkins & Adam Doering, 2017. "Exploring stability and change in transport systems: combining Delphi and system dynamics approaches," Transportation, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 789-805, July.
    17. David Epstein & Leticia García-Mochón & Stephen Kaptoge & Simon G. Thompson, 2016. "Modeling the costs and long-term health benefits of screening the general population for risks of cardiovascular disease: a review of methods used in the literature," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 17(8), pages 1041-1053, November.
    18. Edward J. Garrity, 2011. "System Dynamics Modeling of Individual Transferable Quota Fisheries and Suggestions for Rebuilding Stocks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-32, January.
    19. repec:mpr:mprres:6554 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Casey R. Corrado & Suzanne M. DeLong & Emily G. Holt & Edward Y. Hua & Andreas Tolk, 2022. "Combining Green Metrics and Digital Twins for Sustainability Planning and Governance of Smart Buildings and Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-22, October.
    21. Jürgen Strohhecker, 2016. "Factors influencing strategy implementation decisions: an evaluation of a balanced scorecard cockpit, intelligence, and knowledge," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 89-119, February.
    22. Willis, Cameron David & Corrigan, Crystal & Stockton, Lisa & Greene, Julie Kathryn & Riley, Barbara Lyn, 2017. "Exploring the unanticipated effects of multi-sectoral partnerships in chronic disease prevention," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 158-168.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0218875. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.