Understanding Soft Systems Methodology

This assignment delves into the intricacies of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), a systems thinking approach to problem solving. It analyzes various aspects of SSM through five sources: videos, journal articles, and images. The student demonstrates understanding of SSM's stages, applications in diverse fields like internet access and sugar industry, and its strengths and weaknesses. The assignment utilizes critical reflection on each source to illustrate the practical application and effectiveness of SSM.

Running head: SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY
Soft Systems Methodology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY
Rich Picture:
Link 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpsmGzuDBp0

2SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY
Discussion: The video shows that the author has described the topic Soft Systems Methodology
(SSM) in a very detailed way. The author has focused on every stages of Soft Systems
Methodology and gave detailed explanation of every stage including some aspects such as rich
picture and CATWOE Analysis Components. The author has also provided the critical analysis
of Soft Systems Methodology through this video and concluded with advantages and
disadvantages. This helps to understand Soft Systems Methodology in more convenient way
(Lakshmi, 2015).
Reflection: This video helps me to understand the exact definition and structure of Soft Systems
Methodology. This is useful for understanding the given problem by asking question and giving
solution to this problem.
Link 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RviqYy8Fxdo
Discussion: This video helps to understand the concept of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)
through application to United States High-Speed Internet. Here, in this video, the author’s
perspective is to give an analysis of Soft Systems Methodology applied to high speed Internet
access. The author tries to give his own perspective of using Soft System Methodology and also
conveys that there are other perspectives also to be considered (Merritt, 2016).
Reflection: This video helps me to get an overview of how Soft Systems Methodology works in
real scenario such as high speed Internet scenario. This scenario helps me to understand Soft
Systems Methodology in detail.
Link 3: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/160940691501400101

3SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY
Discussion: The author focuses on application of Soft Systems Methodology in the Sugar
Industry. The journal focuses on use of Soft Systems Methodology by conducting workshops to
attract stakeholders, growers and the millers. The Soft Systems Methodology workshop is the
main focus of this journal where the author focuses. The author tries to gain an insight of roles,
goals, values, power and culture from the study of Soft Systems Methodology workshop in Sugar
Industry (Proches and Bodhanya, 2017).
Reflection: The journal helps me to gain an insight of how Soft Systems Methodology is used in
real world application such as Sugar Industry taken in the study. It helps me to understand the
working process and structure of Soft Systems Methodology.
Link 4: https://oladoyinbello.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/soft-system-methodology-ssm.jpg
Discussion: The author has formulated the image in such a way that the Soft Systems
Methodology (SSM) helps to understand the working and operations. Every stage is shown in a
detailed way where the author explains how it works in real world scenario and systems thinking
about real world. The author structured Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) in a very useful way
and highlighted way to understand the structure (Soft System Methodology (SSM)., 2014).
Reflection: This image helps me to understand the working of Soft Systems Methodology in an
efficient way where the identification is on every stage and it’s working using different
scenarios.
Link 5: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lecture34-140627174822-phpapp02/95/soft-systems-
methodology-5-638.jpg?cb=1403891359

4SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY
Discussion: The image helps to understand that the author has developed Soft Systems
Methodology stages in an unstructured format. The stages of Soft Systems Methodology are
formulated to understand the stages and their connections with each other through appropriate
arrows. The author has divided the Soft Systems Methodology stages into two parts, real world
and systems thinking. The real world and system thinking part helps to understand which stages
will be helpful for which situation (Development of SSM., 2014).
Reflection: This image helps me to get an idea of which stage is relevant to which part that is
real world or system thinking. This is useful for me as all the stages are connected with each
other.

5SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY
References
Development of SSM., 2014. [image] Available at: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lecture34-
140627174822-phpapp02/95/soft-systems-methodology-5-638.jpg?cb=1403891359 [Accessed
14 Jan. 2018].
Merritt, C., 2016. Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology Applied to US High-Speed Internet
Access Conundrum. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RviqYy8Fxdo
[Accessed 14 Jan. 2018].
Proches, C. and Bodhanya, S., 2017. An Application of Soft Systems Methodology in the Sugar
IndustryInternational Journal of Qualitative Methods - Cecile Naomi Gerwel Proches, Shamim
Bodhanya, 2015. [online] Journals.sagepub.com. Available at:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/160940691501400101 [Accessed 14 Jan. 2018].
Soft System Methodology (SSM)., 2014. [image] Available at:
https://oladoyinbello.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/soft-system-methodology-ssm.jpg [Accessed
14 Jan. 2018].