Soft Systems Methodology for solving wicked problems
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Transcript of Soft Systems Methodology for solving wicked problems
Welcome | Velkommen | Dobro pozhalovat
SSM for group
problem
solving Paul Nunesdea | CEO groupVision | Optimizing group collaboration
Workshop delivered at IAF EMENA Conference 2014, Copenhagen
http://facilitationreloaded.com/
Our resources for this session
Session outline
• Whiteboard: Intro & setting
expectations.
• Circle: What do we know about
systems?
• Presentation: Soft systems
methodology in a nutshell.
• First exercise (20 minutes) -
designing models.
• Second exercise (20 + 15
minutes) - designing model &
comparison.
• Circle: wrap up and close.
SSM in a nutshell
Short presentation about Soft
Systems Methodology
3 key ideas about SSM
• Notion of 'human activity
systems'.
• Compare systems models
with real world
• Out of this arises:
• a better understanding
of the situation
• and consensus for
action.
SSM techniques
Objective: learn the basic
techniques
• Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is a powerful
approach for complexity management.
Designing human activity systems
1) Root definition:
• A system to do X, by Y in order to do Z'.
2) Use the CATWOE abbreviation.
3) Activity models flow from the core transformation
• Must follow the behaviour of a system.
CATWOE
• 1. Transformation - what fundamental
change is made to the systems' inputs? in
what outputs are they converted?
• 2. Weltanschauung - what is the
fundamental worldview that makes this
transformation relevant?
• 3. Customer - who is the beneficiary of
this systems' transformation.
• 4. Actors - who enacts this
transformation?
• 5. Owners - who can stop this system to
operate?
• 6. Environment - what are the major
external constraints that can impact the
systems' operations?
CATWOE
• 1. Transformation - what fundamental
change is made to the systems' inputs? in
what outputs are they converted?
• 2. Weltanschauung - what is the
fundamental worldview that makes this
transformation relevant?
• 3. Customer - who is the beneficiary of
this systems' transformation.
• 4. Actors - who enacts this
transformation?
• 5. Owners - who can stop this system to
operate?
• 6. Environment - what are the major
external constraints that can impact the
systems' operations?
Which is which?
An example from a published study
• "A Foundation sponsored system operated by their
stakeholders creates a set of good news stories about
consumer use of sustainable agricultural products that
allow lobbyists to use them as part of their policy
development levers."
Bob William's work in the Kellogg Foundation
Converted in CATWOE
• Customers = sustainable agriculture lobbyists
• Actors = project evaluators, farmers, retailers, Sustainable
Food Collaboration staff Transformation = preponderance of
bad stories replaced by a preponderance of good stories
• Weltanschauung = stories bring about pressure for social
change
• Owner = The Kellogs Foundation
• Environment = established practice, isolated area, poverty
and lack of investment capital.
Modelling
• For each root definition
you can draw its
corresponding
conceptual model
• There is no right or
wrong model
• Only more or less
logically defensible
ones.
Designing a human activity system model
• 1. Using verbs in the imperative write down activities
necessary to carry out the Transformation (T in CATWOE).
Aim for 7±2 activities that are at the same scale.
• 2. Select activities which could be done at once (i.e., not
dependent on others) :
• 3. Place these activities in a line, and then those that are
dependent on these first activities in a second line; continue
until all are accounted for.
• 4. Indicate the dependencies with arrows that connect one
activity to the next logically dependent one.
• 5. Rearrange to avoid overlapping arrows where possible.
Exercise 1 - 20 min
Model Bob Williams' root definition
of the Kellogs Foundation's or any
other you would like to create.
SSM interventions
Two streams of inquiry
Logical stream of analysis
Activities in
the model
What actually
happens? How to improve?
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity n
...
Cultural stream of
analysis
Analysis I - analysis of intervention -
Client/consultant relationship
• Who is in the role of client?
• Who is the 'would be problem
solver'?
• Who is the 'problem owner'?
Analysis II- social system analysis
• Roles, Norms, Values
Analysis III - Political system analysis
• How is 'power' expressed around
here? What are the commodities
through which power is
expressed?
Exercise 2 -
20 min + 15 min
"A system to transfer both
conceptual and practical knowledge
about SSM to a professional body of
consultants and change managers
in a profitable way."
Wrap up
Major findings
Thank you | Tak | Spasibo
SSM for group problem solving
Acknowledgements: The images in this presentation were captured from a
book that I strongly recommend:
Checkland, P & Scholes, J. (1990) Soft Systems in
Action – John Wiley & Sons, Chichester.
The root definition was used from
Bob William's work in the Kellogg Foundation
http://users.actrix.com/bobwill/ssm.pdf
I also would like to thank all my colleagues that have
attended your feedback was extremely valuable.
Participants
• Paul Nunesdea is the English author name of Paulo Manuel Coimbra Nunes de Abreu an organizational psychologist, MSc in Information Management and PhD in Management Science.
• Paul has conducted research work and external consultancy in a varied number of organizations including National and Regional Governments.
• In 2003 he started the "Forum Hospital do Futuro" a not for profit initiative that convened a national Think Thank in Portugal
• In 2009 he founded the Iberian Healthcare Leaders Forum that has convened several Thought Leaders summits in Spain and Portugal.
About the author
Please keep in contact following us in Linkedin!
https://www.linkedin.com/company/groupvision