Abstract for: Communication dynamics in an online group model building workshop

Participatory system dynamics is often used to generate rich system understanding. Participants are being involved into problem definition and modelling activities. Over the past decades, scripts have developed that describe best practices for conducting participatory system dynamics activities. They can be regarded as the recipes for conducting system dynamics workshops. This means they provide a step by step summary of workshop activities and responsibilities. Several studies have analysed the effects of scripted workshop activities on communication, insights, mental models and commitment to action . While recipes for participatory system dynamics workshops exist and while there is evidence that they affect communication, much less is known about how exactly they affect communication and the communication dynamics that they create. We know little about the interactions between facilitators and between facilitator and participants. Even less is known about these interactions in online system dynamics settings. Thus, this paper analyses how facilitator and participant dynamics unfold; it analyses the specific setting of two facilitators and what exactly they do conversationally. It also investigates the specifics of an online setting, i.e. a virtual group model building workshop.