Practice: Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose

Summary

Move from a messy situation through purposeful perspectives to a logically defensible activity model and comparison. A compact SSM rehearsal. The stages organise learning here; they are not a claim that SSM is a mandatory linear project sequence. An activity model is an inquiry device, not a description of what the organisation really is.

Implications for practice

A concrete rehearsal with a fictional case, explicit outputs and a way to inspect the result.

Key distinctions

• Mechanical correctness is distinct from judgement in an open situation.
• Training-case application is distinct from competent organisational practice.

Historical development

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Ideas it depends on

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Further developments

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Connections to practice

• Make a rich picture of the situation.
• Write two relevant root definitions using PQR.
• Check the resident definition with CATWOE.
• Build the minimum activity model for the resident definition.
• Compare the model with the case and propose one accommodation.

Common confusions

• A worked comparison is not the only acceptable answer to an open question.

Further checks

• A compact SSM rehearsal. The stages organise learning here; they are not a claim that SSM is a mandatory linear project sequence. An activity model is an inquiry device, not a description of what the organisation really is.
• Compare an independent attempt before revealing the worked answer.

Recorded connections

Check the wording, direction, scope, sources, and status of a connection before relying on it.

• Systemic systems methods practice for systems practice (alpha) includes practice resource Practice: Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose

  Status: candidate · Relation: includes practice resource

  Resource inventory only; completing a page is not accreditation.

  Locator: Named exercise and its scope statement

  • Systemic systems methods practice for systems practice (alpha) (original material and source boundary recorded)

• Practice: Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose provides a practice route for Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)

  Status: candidate · Relation: provides practice for

  A compact SSM rehearsal. The stages organise learning here; they are not a claim that SSM is a mandatory linear project sequence. An activity model is an inquiry device, not a description of what the organisation really is.

  Locator: Named exercise and its scope statement

  • Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose (original material and source boundary recorded)

• Practice: Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose provides a practice route for Rich picture

  Status: candidate · Relation: provides practice for

  A compact SSM rehearsal. The stages organise learning here; they are not a claim that SSM is a mandatory linear project sequence. An activity model is an inquiry device, not a description of what the organisation really is.

  Locator: Named exercise and its scope statement

  • Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose (original material and source boundary recorded)

Sources and passage locators

• Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose (original material and source boundary recorded)
• OU: soft systems approach, stages 1-7 (specific access and content limit recorded)
• OU: drawing systems maps, SAQ 3 and Activities 19-22 (specific access and content limit recorded)
• SCiO systems practice courses (specific access and content limit recorded)
• Systemic systems methods practice for systems practice (alpha) (original material and source boundary recorded)

Cite this entry

Taylor, B. P. (2026). Practice: Soft Systems Methodology: build a model that follows its purpose. The Necessary Tangle, release 0.35. https://transduction.systems/entries/practice_lab_soft_systems/

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