Boundary Objects for Participatory Group Model Building of Agent-Based Models

Abstract

Boundary objects in participatory group processes help participants share their understanding of systems across disciplinary and social boundaries. We report development of a series of boundary objects in a group model building project in which stakeholders and modelers constructed agent-based models (ABMs) of health care seeking and delivery.We propose conventions for describing agent actions and interactions, and offer advice for effective use of boundary objects in a group process of building ABMs. We found that 1) an early boundary object was helpful for teaching stakeholders basic ABM concepts; 2) physical correspondence between boundary objects and model interfaces improved participant engagement; 3) group ownership of the model was threatened when the modeling team failed to capture needed model elements through the boundary object; 4) adherence to boundary object conventions improved when participants were given specific charges; 5) with hands-on exposure, the model graphical user interface became an effective boundary object.

Modeling with Stakeholders for Transformative Change

“…Boundary object theory explains how objects such as models can bring together diverse group of stakeholders around a simple object or artifact such as a visual representation or causal loop diagram [9,10]. The object represents the system's elements and their connections and is flexible to be changed by participants as they translate their tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, shifting focus away from personal opinion to common understanding [55,56].…”

Designing an Agent-Based Model Using Group Model Building: Application to Food Insecurity Patterns in a U.S. Midwestern Metropolitan City

“…Thus, it is important to set relevant model boundary or technicality in modeling among participants. Finally, participants should have a shared, clear agreement on the authorship or ownership of the ABM, the general use of the ABM, and future collaboration opportunities [24]. This is best established by explicit conversations upfront and periodic check-ins, to set expectations and address any concerns or questions that arise.…”

“…Homa et al built an ABM using the GMB approach for studying inequality in health care access and utilization [3]. Rose et al wrote an article on developing standard GMB procedures and conventions to build ABMs for the same purpose [24]. Since agentbased modeling has been often considered highly complicated to program and computationally intensive to run, ABM modelers typically have a greater role in constructing their models than stakeholders and often build their ABMs with the input of one or very few subject matter experts.…”

“…GMB is also a process that can foster a sense of buy-in and commitment. In the long term, the GMB approach may result in establishing lasting partnerships and collaborations that may extend beyond the walls of the GMB session, into the communities impacted by these issues [2,24]. For these reasons the research team chose GMB as a participatory research method from which to develop an ABM.…”

Application of systems dynamics and group model building to identify barriers and facilitators to acute care delivery in a resource limited setting

“…GMB is an approach for involving stakeholders in the process of understanding systems through the endogenous, or feedback lens of system dynamics [9,10]. GMB involves formal workshops consisting of structured activities or "scripts" that are sequenced to elicit variables and generate progressively more refined qualitative diagrams of the structure of interconnections and feedback loops of system structure [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Workshop design builds on standard sequences and is adapted as part of the design process of a core modeling team which brings together modelers, substantive experts, and community voices to inform the design of group model building work [9,17].…”