The unicist conceptual engineering method was developed to use the conceptual structures of adaptive functions and processes to define their operational strategies and transform them into operational plans and actions.

The method is based on adapting universal functional definitions into specific definitions that allow building the necessary actions and catalysts to ensure and accelerate processes. The final stage transforms maximal and minimum strategies into segmented actions.

The Functionality of the Method

Unicist conceptual engineering allows managing the dynamics and evolution of adaptive systems and environments by managing the unified field of the functions involved. 

This is based on the unicist evolutionary approach, which is a conceptual approach that manages the root causes of the functions involved in adaptive systems, which have open boundaries.

Conceptual Engineering to Manage Adaptive Systems

The discovery of concepts

The discovery of the essential conceptual structure of adaptive systems and environments requires using the unicist research methodology. The first stage implies using the “unicist ontological reverse engineering method” to discover the root causes of the operational aspects of functions to define the underlying essential concepts.

The rediscovery of concepts

The use of essential concepts that have been discovered requires rediscovering them. This rediscovery process requires using conceptual benchmarking, which allows learning from previous experiences.

The discovery of universal or specific metaphors helps to apprehend the concepts without rationalizing them. This process allows storing the knowledge of essential concepts in the long-term memory.

The use of conceptual engineering

The management of complex adaptive systems requires the use of concepts that have been discovered or rediscovered. This requires the use of conceptual engineering that ends when the destructive pilot tests have been completed.

The conceptual engineering process is simplified using unicist expert systems that allow people, who have experience in managing specific functions, to deal with the root causes of adaptive environments without needing to manage the underlying concepts.

This requires using a strict testing system, which begins by developing “Japanese park” experiences and ends with the destructive and non-destructive testing processes of the solutions defined.

The basics of Unicist Conceptual Engineering

Conceptual Engineering was developed to manage the unified field of social, institutional and business functions. It allows transforming the conceptual structures of these environments into roles, processes, objects and actions that allow managing maximal strategies to grow and minimum strategies to ensure results.

The example of the structure of specific strategies will provide the guiding idea of what needs to be done in the conceptual engineering process.

The method goes from the essential concepts, defined by their ontogenetic maps, to the operational concepts and the definition of roles, processes and objects.

Unicist conceptual engineering is based on a three-step method:

Step 1:
Transforming essential concepts into systemic functions

Transform essential concepts into systemic functions, which have closed boundaries. The validation of this step is based on a logical confirmation using the complementation and supplementation laws.

Step 2:
Defining Maximal and Minimum Strategies

Transform the systemic functions into maximal and minimum strategies that allow defining these two differentiated roles.

It is necessary that each of the fundamentals of the concept included in the function be transformed into actions that allow their inclusion in the alternative strategies that need to be defined. The nature of the actions defines their functionality in the alternative operational strategies. The validation of this step is based on the use of conceptual benchmarking.

Step 3:
Defining Segmented Actions

Transform maximal and minimum strategies into processes, objects, actions and DDAs (double dialectical actions). Each of the strategies that are used are defined by the actions that are implemented, which depend on what is needed to be achieved and the actions that occur in the environment. The validation of this step is based on the use of destructive tests.

Synthesis

Actions depend on what needs to be done and not what can be done. What needs to be done depends on having confirmed what is possible to be achieved.

A strategy should not be implemented if the actions that can be done do not fulfill the definition of what needs to be done.

The use of this method ensures the management of complex adaptive systems and environments by managing the concepts and fundamentals that define the root causes of their functionality.

You can access an example of the use of the unicist conceptual engineering method applied to marketing strategy at: www.unicist.net/engineering/marketing-strategy-method

Annex

Expert Systems to Sustain Methods

The unicist expert systems are alternative tools for any method that deals with business problem solving or solution building.

They were developed to manage the fundamentals of business processes by managing the root causes of processes to develop solutions in adaptive environments.

With multiple specialized modules to solve specific problems, these systems manage the unified field of the business processes to manage their functionality, dynamics and adaptability. 

The Unicist Research Institute