Enacting Platforms Towards Critical Systems Practice: Reflections from an Organisation-Based Action Research

2002 ◽  
pp. 441-448
Author(s):  
Alvaro Carrizosa
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Critical Systems ◽  
Systems Practice

scholarly journals On improving the understanding of software requirements by clients

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Jeanette Wendy Wing
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Software Requirements ◽  
Housing Estate ◽  
Critical Systems ◽  
Main Study ◽  
Action Design Research ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Systems Practice

Motivated by the literature regarding the need for further research on client participation in software development, a systemic framework for the understanding of client requirements in Information System development projects is developed. This systemic framework is particularly relevant for project contexts characterized by diversity of stakeholder values and complexity. To address this complexity, research led to the selection of methods from three systems methodologies and the conclusion for the need to mix them in the process of requirements understanding by clients. The mixing of methods from various methodologies is justified through the principles of Critical Systems Practice, and the process of their use is guided by Action Design Research. In spite of the strong research tradition associated with Soft Systems Methodology and the growing interest in the Work System Method, the level of use of these by practitioners is not high because complex project situations require harnessing of the strengths of more than one methodology. The proposed framework also includes a third system methodology Critical Systems Heuristics. This study demonstrated how the meta-methodology Critical Systems Practice is applied in justifying the selection and the mix of methods from the above three methodologies in the proposed framework. The principles of design science were applied, where the framework is the design artifact that is developed. Action Research was used to guide evaluation of the framework in the pilot study. The framework was applied in a pilot study to the understanding of the management of a Wellness Centre which operates within the Kenneth Gardens Housing Estate, through action research. As a result of the pilot study some modifications were made to the framework and the process of its implementation. The modified framework was applied in a further main study concerning the management of the Kenneth Gardens Housing Estate which has a broader context than the pilot study. The contribution of this research to the field of Information Systems is both theoretical and practical. One theoretical contribution is provision of a framework for clearer understanding of software requirements by clients. The second theoretical contribution is that Action Design Research is enhanced by adding proper justification for the methods included in the framework through the application of Critical Systems Thinking and Critical Systems Practice. The practical contribution is through the demonstration of Action Design Research being applied to a real-world problem in both the pilot and the main study.

A Critical Systems Metamethodology for Problem Situation Structuring

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slavica P. Petrovic
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Critical Systems Thinking ◽  
Management Process ◽  
Management Problem ◽  
Problem Situation ◽  
Critical Systems ◽  
Problem Situations ◽  
Systems Practice

The increasing complexity and diversity of management problem situations in organizations, as well as the increasing variety of theories, methodologies, methods, techniques, and models that can be employed in problem situation structuring and solving, must be considered as relevant aspects of management process in contemporary circumstances. Creative holism in management problem situations in organizations is enabled by means of Critical Systems Thinking (CST) as well as Critical Systems Practice (CSP), as the resulting metamethodology. In other words, through CST and CSP, it can be significantly contributed to the management of the increasing diversity and variety of methodologies, methods, techniques, and models, with the aim of improving the management of problem situations in organizations.

A Systemic Framework for Facilitating Better Client-Developer Collaboration in Complex Projects

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-60
Author(s):  
Jeanette Wendy Wing ◽  
Doncho Petkov ◽  
Theo N Andrew
Keyword(s):  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Software Requirements ◽  
Critical Systems ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Stakeholder Values ◽  
Complex Projects ◽  
System Method ◽  
Systems Practice

The article presents a framework for facilitating better collaboration between clients and developers in software requirements formulation. A mix of systems methods from soft systems methodology, critical systems heuristics and the work system method is justified through the principles of critical systems practice. It is particularly relevant for project contexts characterized by diversity of stakeholder values and significant complexity. The contribution of the article for the field of Information Systems is in the proposal of a systemic framework for promoting organizational learning about software requirements formulation. From a practical point of view it reduces the complexity of using systems thinking in software development as the selected methods are simpler to use than the whole system methodologies to which they belong.

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