Take an interview of a typical function manager who you know.
Understand the following aspects:
1. The aims of his function
2. The performance measures used in his function
3. The constraints that he has to work with
4. The assumptions that are made in the organization
5. The parameters that he has to decide on
6. The method how he decides specific issues
7. Examples of decisions where there is a trade-off expected (conflicting conditions)
8. Examples of decisions where there is an influence from the previous decision
9. Examples of decisions where he needs to get additional information
Once you have the answers to the above questions:
1. Try to develop a mathematical equivalent model to the information
2. Try to understand the variables and the decision parameters and the objectives.