History
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM for short) was developed by Peter Checkland and colleagues at the University of Lancaster. It is based upon systems theory, which provides an antidote to conventional, 'reductionist' scientific enquiry - with its tendency to 'reduce' phenomena into smaller and smaller components in order to study and understand them. Systems theory attempts to study the whole picture; the relation of component parts to each other, and to the wider picture - it is 'holistic.' Biology and environmental science use its principles widely, as do other disciplines including systems analysis. SSM is not, contrary to popular supposition, an information systems design methodology - it is rather a general problem solving tool. Brian Wilson, a colleague of Checkland's at Lancaster, has adapted the methodology for business information analysis, and various attempts (Avison's 'Multiview,' for instance) have been made to incorporate it into systems design work.
What do we mean by 'system?'
We use the word 'system' quite a lot in everyday language ('computer system,' 'the educational system', 'systematic;'); we even talk about 'the system' - a vague, sinister officialdom. Three uses of the word must be distinguished:
1. a way of doing things, an organisation of resources and procedures.
2. a computer, or information system
3. (a specialised SSM use) - a conceptual organisation of resources and procedures defined according to systems theory - more about this later.
It will be a useful discipline to check that you understand which of these three senses of the word is being used every time the word occurs in this handout.
Why 'soft?'
System thinking has come to be characterised as either 'hard' or 'soft.' There are fundamental differences between a man-made ('designed physical' system), such as a nuclear reactor, and an organisational system - a 'human activity' system. Where mechanical components are involved, their behaviour can usually be predicted with reasonable accuracy - these are 'hard' systems; where human beings are involved this is not necessarily the case. Because human behaviour is unpredictable, organisational and management problems are seldom clear cut and well-defined; they are normally complex, with many indeterminable variables - 'soft' systems. At first glance, information systems would seem to be 'hard' - designed physical - systems, but experience shows that they seldom add value unless they are closely married to their organisational context, and the people who use them. There are therefore many softer issues which are important in information system planning, design, and implementation. 'Soft' has another, more specialist meaning - depending on the type of person you are, and your training and experience, you may understand 'systems' as tangible things which are really present in the world. You may, however, understand systems ideas as a series of intellectual constructs that we use to help us deal with the enormous complexity of the real world. This is an interesting, but un-resolvable argument; SSM tends strongly to the latter position.
SSM helps formulate and structure thinking about problems in complex, human situations. Its core is the construction of conceptual models (based on the understanding of human activity systems outlined above) and the comparison of those models with the real world. This process can greatly clarify those multi-faceted problems with many conflicting potential solutions, or no obvious way forward. Conceptual models are not representations of the real world, like a data-flow diagram - they are constructs which embody potential real world systems, but, more importantly, follow rigorously the systems principles already discussed, and their own well-defined internal logic. SSM is not, therefore, about analysing systems found in the world, but about applying systems principles to structure thinking about things that happen in the world - a difficult, but crucial distinction to grasp. It is most usefully carried out by people involved in the problem situation, with expert help available to guide and facilitate.
