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A Domain-Specific Language to Process Causal Loop Diagrams with R

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Operations Research Proceedings 2019

Part of the book series: Operations Research Proceedings ((ORP))

Abstract

Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) are a flexible and valuable tool for diagramming the feedback structure of systems. In strategic decision-making and management, we use CLDs to structure and explore complex decision-making situations, to foster learning, as a basis for simulation models, and to communicate simulation results. However, the crucial dissemination of CLDs and the possible learnings beyond the project-team is challenging.

To overcome this problem, we developed a Domain-Specific Language that allows modeling experts with little programming experience to generate visual representations of CLDs that (1) replace the most complicated CLD elements with a step-by-step explanation and (2) strive to lower the barriers to learning while addressing a broader target audience.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    At the moment we support Vensim. Support for Stella, the other major SD tool, is planned for a future release.

  2. 2.

    The DSL source code and further instructions are hosted at https://github.com/ims-fhs/cld.

  3. 3.

    Relatively flexible languages like R let you bend the rules a little bit using non-standard evaluation and meta-programming [15].

  4. 4.

    The notation is a simplified version (with only two operators) of the Backus-Naur form.

  5. 5.

    Import covers two cases here: (1) the case, where we import a CLD; (2) the case, where we select an already imported CLD.

  6. 6.

    This is an application of the Expression Builder pattern in combination with the Method Chaining pattern [14] exploiting R’s possibilities to define custom infix operators [15] and doing non-standard evaluation in combination with meta-programming [13, 15].

  7. 7.

    The colors are adjusted to grey tones for better printing results.

  8. 8.

    More information on the on-going project can be found at https://www.fhsg.ch/de/forschung-dienstleistungen/institute-zentren/institut-fuer-modellbildung-simulation/care-system-design/verbesserte-planung-der-langzeitpflege/.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Modeling and Simulation, University of Applied Sciences St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Adrian Stämpfli

Authors
  1. Adrian Stämpfli
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Correspondence to Adrian Stämpfli .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Business and Economics, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Janis S. Neufeld

  2. Faculty of Business and Economics, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Udo Buscher

  3. Faculty of Business and Economics, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Rainer Lasch

  4. Faculty of Business and Economics, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Dominik Möst

  5. Faculty of Transportation and Traffic, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Jörn Schönberger

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Stämpfli, A. (2020). A Domain-Specific Language to Process Causal Loop Diagrams with R . In: Neufeld, J.S., Buscher, U., Lasch, R., Möst, D., Schönberger, J. (eds) Operations Research Proceedings 2019. Operations Research Proceedings. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48439-2_79

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