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...

The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) was used to identify requirements for the development of one or more information systems for a local company. The outcome of using this methodology was the development of three multimedia information systems. This paper discusses the use of the SSM when developing for multimedia environments. Namely, this paper covers the problems with traditional methods of r...

Systems thinking is very much in vogue, in the public services especially (Wastell, 2011). The term embraces a plethora of specific meanings, methods and affiliated sects. Flood & Jackson (1991) provide a handy overview of 8 distinctive approaches, including Soft Systems Methodology and Systems Dynamics, as well as their own ‘Total Systems Intervention’. In this essay, I provide an overview of ...

This paper highlights a work under development on a regional competitiveness project. We report on a multi-lateral, multi-scale perspective for building cooperative relationships that enhance competitiveness Regionally. The approach mimics a System of Systems methodology whereby entity relationships are captured and defined along several dimensions involving multiple constituents and multiple d...

The initial value problem for the linearized spatially-homogeneous equation has the form ~ + L f = 0 with f({, t = 0) given. Boltzmann The linear operator L operates only on the ~ variable and is non-negative, but, for the soft potentials considered here, its continuous spectrum extends to the origin. Thus one cannot expect exponential decay for f, but in this paper it is shown that f decays li...

It is a short introduction to SSM based on two primary literature's, First some background for SSM is given followed by a description of SSM as described in (SSM, 81) and the revised SSM as described in (SSM, 90). SSM and the construction of Information Systems (IS) is briefly mentioned and, as a summary, a table of key concepts and techniques/guidelines is presented. Finally, the philosophy of...

Virtual system methodology (VSM) tries to extend system inquiring processes beyond the scope of soft systems methodology, and thus make it applicable to the whirling dynamics of social complexity. At the core of VSM is the process of virtual semiosis, the use of various signs and sign structures while making sense of the emergent behavior of a complex dynamic system as a whole. VSM applies virt...

Salt farmers (smallholders) are the main actors in production cycle of national salt supply chain. However, they still face various problems regarding technology, productivity, quality, market prices, product absorption by industry, access to capital, and incentives. Strengthening their institutional capacity requires collaboration support from government other along This study aims develop a m...

Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) was devised by Checkland (1981) and elaborated by Checkland & Scholes (1990) to provide a tool for investigating an unstructured problem situation. SSM is not a system design tool, but a tool for system requirements investigation. Unlike systems analysis tools, such as entity-relationship modelling or data-flow diagrams, which allow the designer to model how the s...

The problems posed by mission-critical legacy systems brittleness, inflexibility, isolation, non-extensibility, lack of openness etc. are well known, but practical solutions have been slow to emerge. Most approaches are “ad hoc” and tailored to peculiarities of individual systems. This paper presents an approach to mission-critical legacy system migration : the Butterfly Methodology, its data m...