The meta model was created as a result of studying questions asked in therapy, and figuring out why some questions were more effective than others.
As it seems, the Meta Model is not really just a model utilizing questions. They are literally questions that are focused on getting a meta view of a model – something that is worth learning about.
In our mental models, we have a number of filters. They include our beliefs, memories, language, meta programs, values structure, etc.
Language, as it seems, has a deep structure and surface structure. When I say “I throw the ball into the hoop”, we are not so interested in the action as in the sequence of mental patterns that lead to the ball going into the hoop.
As such, we need to figure out the person’s belief patterns, values system, representational system and sequence (e.g. I see the ball going into the hoop and allow the ball to be lifted on one hand and released in a slow, backward rotating fashion on my third finger). Even that explanation has a lot of deletions and missing information that will be crucial to effective modeling.
Some of the questions you will ask are to identify distortion, generalization and deletion patterns.
Distortions
R. They are evil people because they torture animals.
Q. How does torturing animals mean they are evil people?
Generalizations
R. All men are scum
Q. Has there been a man who has not been scum?
Deletion
R. Nobody listens to me.
Q. Who hasn’t been listening to you?
It’s the nature of the questions that determine the effectiveness of your modeling process. If you decide to model the problem, you will gain insight into the way they structured the problem. If you decide to model excellence, you will find potential solutions. I recommend finding out what is appropriate.
