Morphological analysis (problem-solving): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Exploration of possible solutions}}

{{InfoMaps}}

'''Morphological analysis''' or '''general morphological analysis''' is a method for exploring possible solutions to a multi-dimensional, non-quantified complex problem. It was developed by Jack Bilton and Swiss &nbsp;astronomer [[Fritz Zwicky]].<ref name = "GMA">Ritchey, T. (1998). [http://www.swemorph.com/ma.html General Morphological Analysis: A general method for non-quantified modeling] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324053008/http://www.swemorph.com/ma.html |date=2010-03-24 }}.</ref> General morphology has found use in fields including [[engineering design]], [[Technology forecasting|technological forecasting]], [[organizational development]] and policy analysis.<ref>Álvarez, A. & Ritchey, T. (2015). [http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-4-1-2015.pdf "Applications of General Morphological Analysis: From Engineering Design to Policy Analysis", Acta Morphologica Generalis, Vol.4 No.1.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513133747/http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-4-1-2015.pdf|date=2016-05-13}}</ref>

==Overview==

General [[Taxonomy (general)|morphology]] was developed by [[Fritz Zwicky]], the Bulgarian-born, Swiss-national [[astrophysicist]] based at the [[California Institute of Technology]]. Among others, Zwicky applied morphological analysis to astronomical studies and jet and [[Spacecraft propulsion|rocket propulsion]] systems. As a problem-structuring and [[Problem solving|problem-solving]] technique, morphological analysis was designed for multi-dimensional, non-quantifiable problems where causal modelling and simulation do not function well, or at all.

Zwicky developed this approach to address seemingly non-reducible complexity: using the technique of [[cross-consistency assessment]] (CCA),<ref name="GMA" /> the system allows for reduction by identifying the possible solutions that actually exist, eliminating the illogical solution combinations in a grid box (sometimes called a '''<span class="anchor" id="Morphological box">morphological box</span>''') rather than reducing the number of variables involved.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ritchey|first=T|date=July 2006|title=Problem structuring using computer-aided morphological analysis|journal=Journal of the Operational Research Society|volume=57|issue=7|pages=792–801|doi=10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602177|s2cid=19792496|issn=0160-5682}}</ref> General morphology has found use in fields including [[engineering design]], [[Technology forecasting|technological forecasting]], [[organizational development]] and policy analysis.<ref>Álvarez, A. & Ritchey, T. (2015). [http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-4-1-2015.pdf "Applications of General Morphological Analysis: From Engineering Design to Policy Analysis", Acta Morphologica Generalis, Vol.4 No.1.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513133747/http://www.amg.swemorph.com/pdf/amg-4-1-2015.pdf |date=2016-05-13 }}</ref>

[[File:Morphological box (bread example).png|alt=A morphological box for bread with six categories arranged in rows: Flour, Leavening, Shape, Crust, Additions, and Baking. Each row contains 4 options with selected items highlighted in green or blue boxes. Selected combinations appear to create two bread types shown at the bottom: For Olive Ciabatta (shown with green highlights): White flour, Yeast leavening, Flat shape, Chewy crust, Olives as additions, and Oven baking method. For Baguette (shown with blue highlights): White flour, Yeast leavening, Loaf shape, Crispy crust, Plain (no additions), and Steam baking method.|thumb|An example morphological box illustrating the attributes of different types of bread]]

==Decomposition versus morphological analysis==

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Morphological analysis works backwards from the output towards the system internals without a simplification step.<ref>Modelling Complex Socio-Technical Systems Using Morphological Analysis (Ritchey 2003-06)[http://www.swemorph.com/pdf/it-webart.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124133/http://www.swemorph.com/pdf/it-webart.pdf|date=2007-09-29}}</ref> The system's interactions are fully accounted for in the analysis.

== References in fiction ==

[[Robert A. Heinlein]] has his characters use a "Zwicky box" in ''[[Time Enough for Love]]'', to figure out what's available to break the ennui of his 2000-year-old character.

{{Reflist}}

[[David Brin]] used "Zwicky Choice Boxes" in ''[[Sundiver]]'' as a means to help solve a murder mystery.

== Further reading ==

*{{Citation|last=Ritchey|first=Tom|chapter=Modelling Complex Policy Issues with Morphological Analysis|date=2011|pages=31–37|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|isbn=9783642196522|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-19653-9_4|title=Wicked Problems – Social Messes}}

*{{Cite journal |first1=Fritz |last1=Zwicky |last2=Page|first2=T.|date=1969-03-21|title=Discovery, Invention, Research, through the Morphological Approach |publisher=Macmillan |___location=New York|journal=Science|volume=163|issue=3873|pages=1317–1318|doi=10.1126/science.163.3873.1317|issn=0036-8075}}

*{{Citation|last=Wilson|first=Albert|chapter=Epilogue|date=1967|pages=333–338|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|isbn=9783642876196|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-87617-2_17|title=New Methods of Thought and Procedure}}

*{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=J. C.|date=July 1981|title=Design methods and theories|journal=Design Studies|volume=2|issue=3|pages=176|doi=10.1016/0142-694x(81)90074-0|issn=0142-694X}}

*{{Cite journal|last=Shubik|first=M.|date=1969-12-05|title=Technological Forecasting and Long-Range Planning. Robert U. Ayres. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1969. xviii + 238 pp., illus. $12.50|journal=Science|volume=166|issue=3910|pages=1257–1258|doi=10.1126/science.166.3910.1257|issn=0036-8075}}

*{{Cite web|title=Morphological analysis as an aid to organisational design and transformation|last=Duczynski|first=G.A.|date=2016|website=*{{Cite web|url=https://globalecco.org/ctx-vol.-5-no.-1-february-2015;jsessionid=963C6228BE8D478E0605E2CFEBA524CF|title=Sustainability of the Afghan Security Forces: A Wicked Problem.|last1=Duczynski|first1=G.A.|last2=Jablonski|first2=J.|date=February 2015|website=globalecco.org|publisher=Counter Terrorism Exchange|access-date=2019-05-05|last3=Huddleston|first3=V|volume=5|issue=1}}

*{{cite journal|url=https://www.systemdynamics.org/assets/conferences/2000/PDFs/ducz124p.pdf |last=Duczynski |first=G.A. |year=2000 |title=A Practitioner's Experience of Using Field Anomaly Relaxation (FAR) to Craft Futures |journal=Futures Research Quarterly |volume=16|issue= 3}}

*{{Cite journal|last=Duczynski|first=Guy|date=October 2004|title=Systems approaches to economic development for indigenous people: a case study of the Noongar Aboriginals of Australia|journal=Futures|volume=36|issue=8|pages=869–888|doi=10.1016/j.futures.2004.01.001|issn=0016-3287}}

*{{Citation|last=Levin|first=Mark Sh.|chapter=Modular Systems, Combinatorial Engineering Frameworks|date=2014-09-06|pages=1–10|publisher=Springer International Publishing|isbn=9783319098753|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-09876-0_1|title=Modular System Design and Evaluation|series=Decision Engineering}}

*{{Cite journal|last=Duczynski|first=Guy|date=January 2018|title=Investigating traffic congestion: Targeting technological and social interdependencies through general morphological analysis|journal=Technological Forecasting and Social Change|volume=126|pages=161–167|doi=10.1016/j.techfore.2017.05.019|issn=0040-1625}}

*Duczynski, Guy; dov Bachmann, Sascha; Smith, Matthew; Knight, Charles (August 2023). "Operational and Strategic Progress in Ukraine: Identifying the Condition Changes". Naval Post-Graduate School, Insights, Monterrey. available at: https://nps.edu/web/ecco/global-ecco-insights

== See also ==

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* [[Influence diagrams]]

* [[Market research]]

* [[Morphological box]]

* [[Scenario analysis]]

* [[Scenario planning]]

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* [[Wicked problem]]

{{div col end}}

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==

*{{Cite journal|last=Duczynski|first=G.A.|journal=Futures |date=2016|volume=86 |pages=36–43 |doi=10.1016/j.futures.2016.08.001 |title=Morphological analysis as an aid to organisational design and transformation|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016328716300970|url-access=subscription}}

*{{Cite journal|last=Duczynski|first=Guy|date=October 2004|title=Systems approaches to economic development for indigenous people: a case study of the Noongar Aboriginals of Australia|journal=Futures|volume=36|issue=8|pages=869–888|doi=10.1016/j.futures.2004.01.001|issn=0016-3287}}

*{{Cite journal|last=Duczynski|first=Guy|date=January 2018|title=Investigating traffic congestion: Targeting technological and social interdependencies through general morphological analysis|journal=Technological Forecasting and Social Change|volume=126|pages=161–167|doi=10.1016/j.techfore.2017.05.019|issn=0040-1625}}

*{{cite journal|url=https://www.systemdynamics.org/assets/conferences/2000/PDFs/ducz124p.pdf |last=Duczynski |first=G.A. |year=2000 |title=A Practitioner's Experience of Using Field Anomaly Relaxation (FAR) to Craft Futures |journal=Futures Research Quarterly |volume=16|issue= 3}}

*{{Cite web|title=Morphological analysis as an aid to organisational design and transformation|last=Duczynski|first=G.A.|date=2016|website=*{{Cite web|url=https://globalecco.org/ctx-vol.-5-no.-1-february-2015;jsessionid=963C6228BE8D478E0605E2CFEBA524CF|title=Sustainability of the Afghan Security Forces: A Wicked Problem.|last1=Duczynski|first1=G.A.|last2=Jablonski|first2=J.|date=February 2015|website=globalecco.org|publisher=Counter Terrorism Exchange|access-date=2019-05-05|last3=Huddleston|first3=V|volume=5|issue=1}}

*Duczynski, Guy; dov Bachmann, Sascha; Smith, Matthew; Knight, Charles (August 2023). "Operational and Strategic Progress in Ukraine: Identifying the Condition Changes". Naval Post-Graduate School, Insights, Monterrey. available at: [https://nps.edu/web/ecco/global-ecco-insights ECCO Insights - Global ECCO - Naval Postgraduate School]

*{{Cite journal|last=Jones|first=J. C.|date=July 1981|title=Design methods and theories|journal=Design Studies|volume=2|issue=3|pages=176|doi=10.1016/0142-694x(81)90074-0|issn=0142-694X}}

*{{Citation|last=Levin|first=Mark Sh.|chapter=Modular Systems, Combinatorial Engineering Frameworks|date=2014-09-06|pages=1–10|publisher=Springer International Publishing|isbn=9783319098753|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-09876-0_1|title=Modular System Design and Evaluation|series=Decision Engineering}}

*{{Citation|last=Ritchey|first=Tom|chapter=Modelling Complex Policy Issues with Morphological Analysis|date=2011|pages=31–37|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|isbn=9783642196522|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-19653-9_4|title=Wicked Problems – Social Messes}}

*{{Cite journal|last=Shubik|first=M.|date=1969-12-05|title=Technological Forecasting and Long-Range Planning. Robert U. Ayres. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1969. xviii + 238 pp., illus. $12.50|journal=Science|volume=166|issue=3910|pages=1257–1258|doi=10.1126/science.166.3910.1257|issn=0036-8075}}

*{{Citation|last=Wilson|first=Albert|chapter=Epilogue|date=1967|pages=333–338|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|isbn=9783642876196|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-87617-2_17|title=New Methods of Thought and Procedure}}

*{{Cite journal |first1=Fritz |last1=Zwicky |last2=Page|first2=T.|date=1969-03-21|title=Discovery, Invention, Research, through the Morphological Approach |publisher=Macmillan |___location=New York|journal=Science|volume=163|issue=3873|pages=1317–1318|doi=10.1126/science.163.3873.1317|issn=0036-8075}}

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