Soft System Methods - A Critique

Here is a paper I completed on Soft Systems Methods. This was another Master's study unit that I really enjoyed as it covered aspects of modelling that is typically found in Management units.

http://www.chriskempster.com/data/Soft%20Systems%20Critique%20v7.doc

The paper covers three methods:
1) Soft Systems Methodology (SSM);
2) Strategic Options Development Analysis (SODA); and
3) Socio-Technical Analysis (STA).

I have applied each method to a small case study of which you will get a gist of in the paper. If you would like a copy of the case study then please email me (ckempste@iinet.net.au).

Each method observation includes industry and academic views to support or negate the author’s perceptions, and assist in the location of patterns in which to summarise each methods critique.

The analysis will also build the readers perception of the picture shown in the diagram below, suggesting that any sufficiently complex requirement will require the adoption of a multiple methods.