Abstract for: 5Rs-Scaffolded Variable Elicitation in Participatory Group Model Building

System Dynamics Group Model Building (SD GMB) employs structured participatory scripts to develop shared causal loop diagrams (CLDs) and dynamic hypotheses. However, early-stage variable elicitation often remains facilitation-intensive and insufficiently structured, leading to uneven coverage of system elements prior to CLD construction. This paper introduces the 5Rs framework, Results, Roles, Relationships, Rules, and Resources, as a structured scaffold for pre-CLD variable elicitation. The framework distinguishes between observed system behavior(Results) and underlying structural determinants(Roles, Relationships, Rules, and Resources), aligning with the SD principle that structure drives behavior. The 5Rs framework was integrated into Scriptapedia’s divergence–convergence logic and implemented in an SD-GMB project addressing severe maternal morbidity among non-Hispanic Black women in Texas. Findings suggest that the 5Rs scaffold improves facilitation focus, promotes more comprehensive identification of system elements, and enhances the extraction of structural factors during the elicitation process. Overall, the 5Rs framework strengthens dynamic hypothesis development and provides a replicable, structured approach for the pre-CLD phase of SD GMB, with potential to improve the consistency and effectiveness of participatory modeling processes.