Abstract for: A Dialogue Game for Group Model Building

We present a novel approach to analysing and structuring the process of Group Model Building (GMB) in a collaborative modelling context. Collaborative modelling is ‘the goal-driven creation and shaping of models that are based on the principles of rational description and reasoning’. Our long term goal is to use communication analysis as a basis for improvement of GMB and the development of dedicated interactive support environments for GMB. In the paper we present our theoretical approach to the systematic analysis of GMB session setups and their framing as 'dialogue games'. We then present an evaluated prototype of a dialogue game for GMB: an operational on-line environment for constrained and guided GMB conversations. We pay special attention to the role of the Facilitator in the dialogue game.