ENGM115 – Organisations and

Systems

Session 4a: Hard & Soft Systems

Thinking / Analysis
Activity - Write
down a problem Consider:
situation
concerning lack of • What is the problem
information for • Where is its boundary
decision making • Who owns the problem
and/or a • How the problem has been identified
‘problematic’ • Why the problem is occurring
process in your • How you might find a solution
employing • What system (s) does it exist in
organization / or
university life
 • Often we identify symptoms rather
than root causes, for example a large
number of reports may be inaccurate,
but the root problem may be software
driven, input error, time delays, etc.
The • You will often find that the root cause
of a problem is a combination of
Problem factors.

with • Problems often reside in some form

of SYSTEM, managerial system,
transport system, economic system,
Problems! computer system, timetabling
system, etc. Therefore are influenced
by systemic principles.
 How might we understand
the problem situation better?
• If we wish to inquire upon a situation /
system (analyse and understand), perhaps
with a view to problem solving then we need
a method of enquiry.

• This method could be categorised as either

HARD systems thinking or SOFT systems
thinking. For example….
• SOFT - Soft systems methodology
• HARD - Process modelling, data
modelling, statistical analysis, etc.
 Simplistic view of hard systems
thinking ....“Concerned with finding an
optimum solution to a given problem”
The HARD
Approaches
to Systems Examples of hard systems
approaches...Structured methods of
Thinking systems analysis, project
management, systems engineering,
SSADM, operations/operational
research, etc
 – The problem/objective is
The HARD easily identified
– An optimum solution can be
Approaches found
– People / Humans are
rational.
- Underlying – Scientific approach to
problem solving and systems
Philosophical can be analysed into
component parts.
Base – Emphasis on reductionism,
to allow controllable analysis
and repeatable experiments
and MODEL building
 – Organisational problems
are ‘messy’, poorly defined
and reside in Human
Soft Systems Activity Systems (HAS).

Thinking - – Attempts to acknowledge

that each individual will
Underlying have their own objectives,
agenda’s, philosophy, etc.
Philisophical – both inside and outside
the workplace (the
Base boundaries of which will
always be grey).
 • Different stakeholders may see different
problems in a problem situation, so may
they perceive the solutions differently
• Problems never / very rarely come singly or
'neatly packaged'. It is more likely that there
will be several interlocking problems & if
one is solved it may generate other
Soft •
problems elsewhere.
Creative, intuitive approach to problem
SystemsThinking •
‘solving’/expression.
It is crucial to investigate the problem
situation thoroughly before considering any
- Underlying technical solution, thus participation is a key
theme. In addition, outcomes involve
Philisophical •
learning and better understanding.
Analyst cannot be divorced from the

Base situation & will bring his own beliefs /

philosophies to the problem situation
 • SSM - a loose framework of
Soft tools to be used at the
discretion of the analyst,
Systems focused on improvements to
Methodology organisational problems
SSM – Overview (Seven Stage Model)

situation 7 action to
1 considered improve the
problematic problem situation
6 changes:
systemically desirable,
culturally feasible

problem comparison of
2 situation models and
expressed real world 5
real world

systems thinking
about real world
3 conceptual models
root definition of systems described
of relevant systems in root definitions 4
 Rich Pictures
observation

coffeetime yet?

boundary

idea!
crossed swords
=friction

• iconic representations - drawn together into a picture which

sums up the important elements of the problem situation
Rich Pictures: Commonly Used Symbols

External observers /
interested parties People

Flows
A boundary

How can I….?

£
Concerns,
views Conflict
Some Guidelines for Drawing Rich Pictures

• There is no formal technique or classic form for this, and skill in

drawing is by no means essential (though it's not a hindrance!) in
the production of pictures which are found to be very helpful
• The key elements of rich pictures:
– pictorial symbols;
– keywords;
– cartoons;
– sketches;
– symbols;
– title.
Rich Pictures - Examples
situation 7 action to
1 considered improve the
problematic problem situation
6 changes:
systemically desirable,
culturally feasible

problem comparison of
2 situation models and
expressed real world 5

real world

systems thinking
about real world
3 conceptual models
root definition of systems described
of relevant systems in root definitions 4
Student Attendance and Monitoring System
Rich Picture Example - Showing a situation in a large engineering-
based company in which the study is concerned with problems of
tendering for contracts and then organising to meet their requirements
profitably and on time.
A more typical rich picture is shown below -
Rich Picture of a problem situation in the department of an insurance
company.
Rich Picture Characteristics
 • Who are the main people /
Thinking stakeholders? involved?
• What are their different
about a viewpoints / concerns/ interests?
• What important processes / tasks
problem are taking place?
•
situation, for What power / political issues have
you identified?
your • How can technology help
overcome the problem?
organisation • What types of technology might
be considered today?
of choice…. • Is a Business Intelligence solution
relevant?
• Who would use the new system?
 situation 7 action to
1 considered improve the
problematic problem situation
6 changes:
systemically desirable,
culturally feasible

problem comparison of

Root Definitions
2 situation models and
expressed real world 5

real world

systems thinking
about real world
3 conceptual models
root definition of systems described
of relevant systems in root definitions 4

• short textual statements which define the

important elements of the relevant system
being modelled - rather like mission
statements

they follow the form:

a system to do X by (means of) Y in order to Z

what the system does - X

how it does it - Y
why it’s being done - Z
 Root Definition Examples

primary task (relating to basic tasks and structures)

A university owned and operated system to award degrees and diplomas to
suitably qualified candidates (X), by means of suitable assessment (Y), (in
conformance with national standards), in order to demonstrate the capabilities
of candidates to potential employers (Z).

issue based (relating to temporary or qualitative concerns, or concerns of

judgment)

A university owned and operated system to implement a quality service (X), by

devising and operating procedures to delight its customers and control its
suppliers (Y), in order to improve its educational products (Z).
 CATWOE Analysis
a check to ensure that root definitions contain
most of what is important

Customers the victims or beneficiaries of T

Actors those who do T
Transformation input output
Weltanschauung the worldview that makes the T
meaningful in context
Owners those with the power to stop T
Environmental elements outside the system which
constraints are taken as given, but
nevertheless affect its behaviour
 Example CATWOE

C candidate students
A university staff
T candidate students
degree holders and diplomates
W the belief that awarding degrees and
diplomas is a good way of demonstrating
the qualities of candidates to potential
employers
O the University governing body
E national educational and assessment
standards
 situation 7 action to

Activity
1 considered improve the
problematic problem situation
6 changes:
systemically desirable,
culturally feasible

problem comparison of
2 situation models and
expressed real world 5

real world

(Conceptual) Models 3
root definition
of relevant systems
conceptual models
of systems described
in root definitions 4
systems thinking
about real world

• Representation of the
minimum set of activities
necessary to ‘do’ the root
definition
• Activities modelled by verbs
 Activity Models - Symbols

verb + noun
phrase activity - ‘do something’

A
logical dependency arrow - activity A must come
B
before B, or if activity A is done badly - so will B

boundary

cook dinner study BIT

eat take BIT
dinner examination
example use
 Activity Model - Example
design
enrol students education
programmes

allot appreciate
educate
national
students resources
standards

award design
degrees + diplomas and carry out
to students reaching assessment
acceptable levels

A university owned and operated system to award degrees and

diplomas to suitably qualified candidates (X), by means of
suitable assessment (Y), (in conformance with national
standards), in order to demonstrate the capabilities of
candidates to potential employers (Z).
 Measures of Performance

• E1 - efficacy (does the system work, is the

transformation effected)?
• E2 - efficiency (the relationship between the output
achieved and the resources consumed to achieve it)
• E3 - effectiveness (is the longer term goal (Z) achieved)
Measures of Performance - Example
• E1 (efficacy) - are degrees and diplomas
awarded?
• E2 (efficiency) - how many degrees and
diplomas, of what standard, are awarded for
the resource consumed?
• E3 (effectiveness) - do employers find the
degrees and diplomas a useful way of
assessing the qualities of potential
employees?
The Complete Conceptual Model

• Root Definition
• CATWOE
• Activity Model
• Measures of Performance
The Complete Model - Example
A university owned and operated system to award
degrees and diplomas to suitably qualified candidates (X),
by means of suitable assessment (Y), (in conformance with
national standards), in order to demonstrate the
design
enroll students education
capabilities of candidates to potential employers (Z).
programmes

allot appreciate C candidate students

educate
resources national A university staff
students
standards
T candidate students
degree holders and diplomates
award design
degrees + diplomas W the belief that awarding degrees and
and carry out diplomas is a good way of demonstrating
to students reaching assessment
acceptable levels the qualities of candidates to potential
take control employers
action
O the University governing body
monitor for
E1, E2, E3 E national educational and assessment
standards
• E1 (efficacy) - are degrees and diplomas awarded?
• E2 (efficiency) - how many degrees and diplomas, of what standard, are awarded
for the resource consumed?
• E3 (effectiveness) - do employers find the degrees and diplomas a useful way of
assessing the qualities of potential employees?
 • http://systems.open.ac.uk/materials/T552/ -
provides insight / background on rich pictures,
including guidelines.

Resources • Checkland and Scholes (2001) – Soft Systems

Methodology in action. Wiley
and • Acknowledgements –

References – Soft Systems Presentation –

Jeremy Rose
– Professor David Wainwright