Structured Dialogical Design Frameworks for Addressing Complexity in Systems Engineering

Abstract

This thesis presents Structured Dialogical Design, a System Engineering and Operational Research methodology capable of assisting stakeholders with diverse perspectives and conflicting interests to discuss and reach a consensus on how their points of view are related. Practical applications, called Structured Democratic Dialogues, utilise several methods, i.e., tools or techniques, operated in a sequence that culminates with the production of a tree structure called an Influence Map. This map depicts how individual points of view support (or inhibit) each other. The process facilitates openness, promotes inclusiveness and supports stakeholders in designing better plans.
The contributions of the Candidate to the development and evolution of the theory and practice of Structured Dialogical Design are documented in multiple dimensions, including worldwide practical applications, the development of new software to support the process, and extending the underlying theory to support scaling up and broader applicability.

Date of Award	1 Dec 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Portsmouth
Supervisor	Nils Bausch (Supervisor) & Alexander Gegov (Supervisor)