Lewis 1. To your comment, "my overall interpretation of your post is that both MODELLING a la NLP and DESIGN by utilisation of exisiting tools in different ways can both provide powerful models for profound, ecological change." yes, a perfectly accepable paraphrase. 2. You also commented, "The "danger" of design is that it may simply result in "hot air" intellectual analysis. The "danger" of modelling a la NLP is that you may end up with more (or less) than you bargained on...the model - warts and all - (or simply the warts)." In characterising these two strategies (modeling and design), I would point to differences distinct from what you offered. To continue your fundamental metaphor, the "danger" in design certainly is the same as any analysis - that is, the wholesale imposition of a series of personal f2 mapping on whatever the theme is and the intellectualization of patterning as opposed to concrete descriptions of patterns. There is absolutely no reason to believe that the resulting patterning (assuming what follows actually achieves some other than another personal content model - see Dilts "Neuro-logical levels" for example) has something to recommend it. Modeling distinguishes itself immediately from design in that there is an explicit criterion: namely, does the behavior of the person who learns the patterning (the model resulting from the modeling project) move significantly closer in effectiveness, time... to the exemplar (the person who served as the original inspiration for the project). In design, no such explicit criterion is obvious. Modeling  further, distinguishes itself in that the person (or team) being modeled has already demonstrated that he/she/they are capable of consistent behavior of the highest quality in the field in which the patterning occurs - phase 1 of the 5 phases is expressly the identification and securing of access to such performances of genius. I can think of others but will content myself with these two, to me, quite powerful distintions.  I am puzzled by the warts metaphor - could you elaborate? Oh yes, Haley's book is well worth the read. All the best, John