Soft Evaluation

2011 ◽  
pp. 136-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ala Abu-Samaha
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Measurement Of Success ◽  
The Right ◽  
Measures Of Performance

In this chapter, the author describes an alternative approach to evaluating Information Technology (IT) projects, which involves developing a holistic view of IT interventions. The main methodological problem in evaluating any intervention is to choose the right indicators for the measurement of success or lack of it. These indicators will obviously be linked to the aims but will also be relevant to the objectives chosen to achieve these aims. Acknowledging the difficulty of choosing appropriate measures of performance, the author proposes the use of Soft Evaluation. The approach used brings together formal work in evaluation with a qualitative process of investigation based on Soft Systems Methodology in order to allow us to make judgements about the outcomes of an implementation in a systemic manner and from a number of different viewpoints or perspectives.

scholarly journals SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR GREEN OPEN SPACE MANAGEMENT

SINERGI ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 207
Author(s):  
Silia Yuslim ◽  
Hendrik Sulistio
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Landscape Design ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Space Management ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
The Right ◽  
Sustainable Landscape

To achieve the target of 30% of the total area's green space area, causing Jakarta and other big cities to make efforts to accelerate the provision of green space. Efforts to provide and manage it did not go as expected. The problem lies in the planning, implementation, utilization, and control relating to institutions, financing, and community participation. That causes the management of Green Open Space (GOS) is not running effectively and efficiently. The main problem is the unavailability of clear guidelines on implementing green space management and ineffective phasing related to the determination of terms of reference with budget constraints. Based on previous research, the concept of sustainable landscape design in harmony with sustainable development is the right way to solve this problem. This study aims to discuss how the concept of sustainable landscape design can be bundled by governance involved in managing green space using action research based on soft systems methodology. It will provide a conceptual model of packaging efforts so that it becomes a reference in various actions to provide and manage green space to achieve effective and efficient GOS management.

Police Operational Planning and Crime Detection through Adopting an Information Systems Approach

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Peter Kinloch ◽  
Hulya Francis ◽  
Michael Francis ◽  
Mark Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Viable Systems ◽  
Problem Situations ◽  
Systems Model ◽  
Generic Framework ◽  
Crime Detection

In recent years the introduction and subsequent enhancements of information technology has seen the emergence of major opportunities for developing new approaches to improve information interchange. The provision of information provides opportunities to find resolutions to problem situations, and the power of providing relevant and accurate information through using information systems cannot be underestimated. However, the world of information systems thinking has, so far, experienced difficulty finding a methodology suitable for utilizing the full range of available current information technology. This situation in the real world shows itself predominantly as information starvation as current information systems struggle to bring order and structure to information technology developments. This article will discuss the issues relating to the development of a new generic framework. The novel aspect of this generic framework for planning information systems is that it integrates Soft Systems Methodology and Viable Systems Model in a coherent whole, whilst embracing the concepts of self-adaptation and autonomy. Further, the generic framework integrates the spatial analysis capabilities of a Geographical Information System. The generic framework will then be tested in real world problem situations in order to test its effectiveness, efficiency and efficacy with regards to finding suitable solutions to the problem of information starvation. The importance of focusing the framework on GIS functionality is related to the fact that in many organizations GIS is employed as the solution to information starvation because of its ability to display spatial information. This article will demonstrate the implementation of the generic framework in a UK Police Authority, a large emergency service that suffers from information starvation. In the context of a UK Police Authority the combination of Soft Systems Methodology and Viable Systems Model being supported by GIS functionality is seen as being a significant progression in relation to crime detection and operational planning.

A SOFT SYSTEMS METHODOLOGY APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN GAUTENG PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-99
Author(s):  
Lewis Tsuro ◽  
Stan Hardman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Suitable Model ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Good Tool ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems

The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) was developed as a set of tools for identifying and making incremental steps to improve situations with poorly defined causes or solutions. The supply chain forms a key process of any construction project; however, on any given construction site, supply chain inefficiencies could arise from many different avenues. Opinions vary, though, on which of these avenues is more important for increasing supply chain efficiencies; whether any problem even exist across the different aspects of the supply chain; as well as what steps should be taken to resolve them. It was therefore studied, here, whether SSM could be employed as a useful tool to systematically apply in the supply chains of a construction project in South Africa, for understanding and targeting the problematic situations that arise. Following thorough cyclical open-ended interviews with 17 workers, supervisors, foremen, site clerks, senior managers, and the CEO of the principal contractor at a new office park construction project in Rosebank, Johannesburg, and a thematic analysis of the data, SSM was performed to understand the existing challenges, and develop a suitable model for improvement. The study found that SSM was a good tool for understanding the ‘messy’ circumstances surrounding the chosen construction project supply chain, as well as actions that could be taken to improve the supply chain’s efficiency on site. The findings add weight to the argument that SSM could be a good tool for project managers to systematically introduce into their project planning regimens

Secure e-Government Services

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Karokola ◽  
Louise Yngström ◽  
Stewart Kowalski
Keyword(s):  
Soft Systems Methodology ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Government Services ◽  
Security Services ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
Security Standards ◽  
Common Frame Of Reference

E-Government offers many benefits to government agencies, citizens and the business community. However, e-Government services are prone to current and emerging security challenges posing potential threats to critical information assets. Securing it appears to be a major challenge facing governments globally. Based on the international security standards – the paper thoroughly investigates and analyzes eleven e-government maturity models (eGMMs) for security services. Further, it attempts to establish a common frame of reference for eGMM critical stages. The study utilizes the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) of scientific inquiry/ learning cycle adopted from Checkland and Scholes. The findings show that security services (technical and non-technical) are lacking in eGMMs – implying that eGMMs were designed to measure more quantity of offered e-government services than the quality of security services. Therefore, as a step towards achieving secure e-government services the paper proposes a common frame of reference for eGMM with five critical stages. These stages will later be extended to include the required security services.

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