Phase 1

Agent analysis – Isolating the nodes, defining the group

Blind example (used to aid further Phase explanation):

The purpose of this phase is to consider a number of elements that comprise an identified system or group under investigation or review. These have been selected as being significant and characteristic of the system and will be depicted as nodes – a strong correlation with the post interview stage of the constellation process can be drawn here. (Constellating may prove to be a useful tool in determining values in subsequent phases).

Arbitrarily I have used five nodes to seed the process.

For case-study application, the nodes need to be described in what detail is available. In addition, if they possess assets, dependencies or conditional behaviours these need declaring. This associative nodal data may be:

*Crisp – clearly known; objectively ascribed; calculated; interpolated; acceptably inferred.

*Fuzzy – difficult to fully determine; within a subjective penumbra; a feeling or belief; tantamount to informed guesswork.

This phase may be revisited many times to review the form and nature of the nodes as more data is revealed or modified.