The Work System Method And Soft Systems Methodology - Some Comparisons

This paper provides a brief comparison between Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and the Work System Method (WSM) by S. Alter. The latter is a relatively recent systems approach specifically developed with the needs of the Information Systems field. It focuses on previous criticisms towards SSM and suggests how WSM might compare against them. Those comparisons are related to the difference between IS methods and SSM in their philosophical foundations; the ability of SSM to encourage broad stakeholder participation; the ability of SSM to support decision making and the initiation of action in a systemic intervention; the difficulty in transitioning from SSM to IS development techniques and the applicability of SSM to bridge the gap between technical and social aspects of IS development. The insights in the paper might be useful for planning and justifying the use of SSM and WSM in an Information Systems project.