Abstract for: Operationalizing Model Conceptualization: From Tacit Expertise to Structured Practice

Model conceptualization is a critical and often one of the most challenging stages in system dynamics (SD) modeling. Despite its importance, conceptualization remains less proceduralized than other stages of the modeling process and is often described as an “art” relying on tacit knowledge and accumulated modeling experience. This study proposes a structured procedural framework that organizes insights from SD literature into an explicit sequence of reasoning steps for model conceptualization. The framework guides modelers from textual problem descriptions to progressively more formal representations of system structure. The core process combines grounded theory with a divergent–convergent reasoning approach and is complemented by perspectives such as stakeholder analysis, sector-based reasoning, generic structures and archetypes, and insights from prior SD studies. By decomposing conceptualization into explicit intermediate steps with identifiable outputs, the framework aims to make conceptual modeling more transparent, teachable, and operational while preserving the exploratory and iterative nature of SD modeling. Building on these contributions, several avenues for future research emerge that could further strengthen the rigor, transparency, and practical usefulness of model conceptualization in system dynamics. These directions arise from challenges that practitioners may encounter when applying the proposed framework. for text editing