Modellung

Modellung is a term that appears in discussions of modeling and design to denote the act or process of constructing, arranging, and presenting a model of a system. The word combines the German root Modell, meaning model, with the suffix -stellung, meaning placement or arrangement, yielding a notion akin to the arrangement or presentation of a model. Because it is not widely standardized, its exact meaning can vary by discipline.

In philosophy of science and systems engineering, Modellung is used to emphasize modeling as a designed artifact rather than a direct copy of reality. It highlights the methodological choices involved in determining a model’s scope, level of abstraction, variables, relationships, and the interface through which the model communicates its results. Through this lens, Modellung focuses on how these design decisions shape interpretation, inference, and the boundaries between representation and the phenomena being represented.

In practice, the term can also appear in computer science, simulation, and education to describe the full lifecycle of a model: conceptualization, mapping real-world elements to computational structures, calibration and validation, and the presentation of outcomes. Some discussions treat Modellung as a meta-principle for transparent modeling—making explicit the criteria, assumptions, and trade-offs embedded in a model.

Because Modellung is used variably, there is no single authoritative definition. Critics argue that it risks overemphasizing form at the expense of empirical adequacy, while proponents see it as a useful reminder that models are designed artifacts whose value depends on deliberate arrangement and disclosure of assumptions. Related terms include modeling, representation, abstraction, and model-based reasoning.