Soft Systems Method An Introduction q Methods for

Soft Systems Method An Introduction q Methods for Information Systems Development q Soft Systems Ideas q Overview of Soft Systems Method q Rich Pictures q Relevant Systems and Root Definitions q Conceptual Modelling q Bringing About Change 1

Information Systems Methods q Structured Methods: • Yourdon, SSADM, Information Engineering q Object Oriented Methods: • OOSE, OMT, Rational (UML) q RAD Methods • DSDM q ‘Bottom Up’ Evolution: Programming, Design, Analysis, . . q All Based On Sound ‘Engineering’ Principles: • i. e. First Know Requirements then Build a System 2

A Cautionary Tale Managing Director R&D Marketing Division Activities: 1 Forecast Sales 2 Buy Materials Sales Division 3 Manufacture Production 4 Sell Division 5 Deliver Problem Situation: Often ‘Out of Stock’ of Products Sold Result: Company Closure Finance Division Sales Computer Administration Division Solution: Computerise Production Planning 3

Types Of System q DESIGNED PHYSICAL SYSTEMS, e. g. Bridge, Aircraft, Channel Tunnel, Power Station § COMPONENT PARTS are Physical Components q HUMAN ACTIVITY SYSTEMS (HAS), e. g. An Information System § COMPONENT PARTS are Physical Components but also Humans Performing Tasks q IS Methods Are Based on Same Principles as Building DESIGNED PHYSICAL SYSTEMS, But. . 4

An HAS is More Than A Set of Activities HUMAN ACTIVITY SYSTEM Input(s) EQUALS TRANSFORMATION PROCESS (Modelled as an Interconnected Set of Activities) SYSTEM OF ACTIVITIES PLUS SOCIAL SYSTEM Output(s) Elements = Activities (or subsystems), i. e. “WHAT” Elements = People Doing Activities, i. e. “HOW” Relationships = Logical Dependencies Relationships = Inter-Personal 5

PROBLEM SITUATIONS q HARD May Be Analysed as a ‘Designed Physical System’ and Modelled Mathematically q SOFT May be Analysed As a Set of HASs where Modelling Language Consists of Activities (Verbs) but. . . Can We Ignore Inter-Personal Relationships? 6

Aims of Soft Systems Method q SSM is NOT a Method for Developing an Information System q SSM Aims to Bring About ‘Improvement in a Problem Situation’ q To Develop an Information System, Requirements Have to Be Established and Agreed q SSM Could be Used to Help People ‘Agree on the Requirements’ q If Requirements are Unclear, SSM Could Be a Front End for a DSDM (or Other Method) Development q But, It May (or Even More Likely) Result in Change that Does Not Require the Building of an IS 7

Soft Systems Ideas q PROBLEMS Do Not Have an Existence Independent of the Humans Involved With Them q People Will See the Same Situation in Different Ways "Filter" W Observation Of Real World Events 8

Soft Systems Ideas q PROBLEMS Do Not Have an Existence Independent of the Humans Involved With Them q People Will See the Same Situation in Different Ways "Filter" W q Observation Of Real World Events If ‘Problems’ are Intellectual Constructs then so should be ‘Solutions’ q Problems do not exist in Isolation q Improvements in a Problem Situation Are Most Likely to Come About Through Persuasion and Debate q The Analyst is a ‘Catalyst of Change’ and cannot be divorced from the situation. 9

SOFT SYSTEMS METHOD 10

ANOTHER VIEW OF SSM REAL WORLD ABSTRACT WORLD OF SYSTEMS THINKING REAL WORLD Step 2 - Look At The Complex Situation. Represent Its Complexity, Without Jumping to Conclusions About the ‘Type’ of Situation or the Nature of the Problem Step 3 - View the Situation in Terms of a ‘Relevant System’ (Issue or Task-based) Step 4 - Build a Model of the ‘Relevant System’ (Issue or Task-based). What Will the System Logically Have to Do If It Were the System Defined Step 5 - Compare the Model With the Actual Situation Step 6 - Discuss the Consequence and Agree Changes (Defined by Those Involved - NOT the Analyst) Step 7 - Implement Agreed Changes 11

SSM - STAGE 1 q ENQUIRY Begins With A ‘Mess’ OR ‘ A Setting Where Someone Thinks a Problem May Exist q Resist Attempts to Impose a Particular Structure on the Situation q Recognise That You Will Become Part of the Situation q Do Some Thinking About the Following Roles: The The Client Problem Owner Solver q Make Practical and Administrative Arrangements, q E. G. Negotiate Access to People, Locations, …Arrange a Quiet Office. Determine Method of Recording Information From Interviews 12

SSM - STAGE 2 ‘The Situation Analysed’ q Conduct Interviews. Draw a Rich Picture q Guidelines: n Look for Elements of Structure of the Situation n Look for Elements of Process n Look for Interaction of Structure and Process n Do Not Try and Represent the Situation in Terms of Systems. n Ensure Your Picture Includes ‘Hard’ Factual and ‘Soft’ Subjective Information n Look at Social Roles. Try and Identify ‘Good’, ‘Bad’, and ‘Acceptable’ Behaviour. n Annotate Picture With Footnotes n Include Yourself in the Picture 13

RICH PICTURE - SOAP ‘n’ SPRAY 14

RICH PICTURE - ALBION MILLS Courtesy Open University 15

SOFT SYSTEMS METHOD 16

SSM - STAGE 3 ‘Relevant Systems’ q A Systemic Way of Viewing the Situation Which Is (in the opinion of the analyst), in Some Way, Relevant to the Problem Situation q When Described in More Detail It Is Hoped That Studying the Abstract System Will Yield Insight Into the Situation q Relevant Systems May Be of Two Types: l Issue-based - Will Focus on Specific Issues and Seek to Address or Act Upon Them in Some Way l Task-based - Are Attempts to Describe, or Capture, the Essential Nature of a Fundamental Task Which Must Be Carried by the Organisation Under Study 17

SSM - STAGE 3 ‘Root Definitions’ q DEFINITION - A Precise Verbal Description of the Essence of the Processes Implied by the RELEVANT SYSTEM q EXAMPLE “A SOAP’N’SPRAY Owned System Engaged in the Manufacture and Supply of Soap Products to Satisfy Customers’ Orders in a Way That Is Consistent With Performance Levels Desired by Corporate Headquarters” q A Relevant System Is a ‘System’. Hence It Must Conform to ‘Systems Theory’ q It May Help to Consider a CATWOE Analysis 18

CATWOE Analysis of SOAP’N’SPRAY C- CUSTOMERS of the System Those Who Order Soap Products (European, Retailing, Commercial and Industrial Markets) A - ACTORS Those Who Carry Out the Manufacture and Supply Activities T - TRANSFORMATION PROCESS Transform Vegetable Oil (and Other RMs, If Needed) Into Finished Soap Products and Supply to Customers W - WELTANSCHAUUNG A Concern to Meet Orders Whilst Achieving Financial Targets Set by HQ O - OWNERS SOAP’N’SPRAY (Note: the owners of the relevant system, not the business) E - ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS The Business and Commercial Competitive Environment 19

SOFT SYSTEMS METHOD 20

SSM - STAGE 4 ‘Conceptual Models’ q A Model of the Activities or Processes That Logically Ought To Go On If the Relevant System Is to Be the One Described by the Root Definition 21

Conceptual Model - Guidelines q Activities are Represented by VERBS q Arrange into a Logically coherent Order q Aim for 6 to 12 Activities for a Complete Account q Examine Each Main Activity and Identify Subsidiary Activities, Each Written Down As a Verb q Group Functionally Similar Activities into Sub. Systems q Remember It Is a Logical Model - No Real-World Considerations q If Necessary, Revise the Root Definition 22

SSM - STAGE 4 ‘Conceptual Model’ "A SOAP'N'SPRAY - Owned System Engaged in the Manufacture and Supply of Soap Products to Satisfy Customers' Orders in a Way that is Consistent with the Performance Levels Desired by Corporate Headquarters. " q FRONT LINE ACTIVITIES: l RECEIVE Customer Orders for Soap Products l KNOW Performance Levels Required by HQ l MANUFACTURE Soap Products l OBTAIN Raw Materials l DISTRIBUTE Soap Products l PLAN Operations Needed to Meet Orders l MONITOR & CONTROL All the Above Activities 23

Conceptual Model - SOAP ‘N’ SPRAY RECEIVE Customer Orders KNOW HQ's Requirements PLAN Operations MONITOR & CONTROL All Activities MANUFACTURE Soap Products OBTAIN Raw Materials FIRST STAGE MODEL DISTRIBUTE Soap Products 24

Conceptual Model - SOAP ‘N’ SPRAY RECEIVE Customer Orders RECEIVE Info ASSEMBLE Info RECEIVE Purch. Reqs DECIDE Where To Obtain Goods ANALYSE Info KNOW INTERPRET Info DISSEMINATE Info KNOW Buying Pol'y KNOW Facilities INFORM Concerned Groups ANALYSE Info Rec'd OBTAIN ORDER Goods RECEIVE Delivery Not'n PLAN RECEIVE Orders Info DECIDE ASSEMBLE Decisions TRANSMIT Info SCHEDULE Activities MAINTAIN Plant RECEIVE MAKE Products MONITOR & CONTROL All Other Activities MANUFACTURE CHECK Processes & Stds RECEIVE Del'y Instrns RECEIVE RMs DECIDE Schedule of Ops TRANSPORT Products KNOW About Disposal Facilities STORE Products COLLECT Fin'd Prods DISTRIBUTE 25

SOFT SYSTEMS METHOD 26

SSM - STAGE 5 ‘Preparing An Agenda For Debate’ q NOTES: q Some Activities may not feature on the Agenda for Stage 6 q Items 5 & 6 above may be completed as part of stage 6 27

SSM - STAGE 6 ‘Debate’ q WHO IS INVOLVED? l Client, Problem Owner(s), Problem Solver(s), Others q AIMS l To Agree Changes That Are: Systemically Desirable Culturally Feasible q WHAT IF CHANGES CANNOT BE AGREED? l This May Be A Wise Decision in Some Circumstances l Maybe Your Chosen Relevant System Is NOT Seen As Relevant. If So, Repeat From Stage 2. 28

SSM - STAGE 7 ‘Implementation’ TYPES OF CHANGE THAT MIGHT COME ABOUT: l Changes in Structure: e. g. Organisational Groupings Departments Reporting Structures Lines of Command Lines of Functional Responsibility Physical Layout l Changes in Procedures i. e. Different Ways of Doing Things l Changes in Policy in the Goals & Strategies of the HAS Being Investigated l Changes in Attitude 29

Soft Systems Method Resume of Rules - Constitutive q Seven Stages, Many of Which Are Iterative q Each Stage Has A Defined End-Product q CMs To Be Checked Against RD and Formal Systems Model q CMs To Be Derived from RD Only. They are NOT Descriptions of Systems to be Engineered q Initial Exploration Should NOT be a Search for Systems in the Problem Situation 30