Updates No. 3 continued...

Firstly, before I continue from where I left off yesterday, I have just learnt of a new book called:
Learning for Action: A Short Definitive Account of Soft Systems Methodology, and Its Use Practitioners, Teachers and Students by Checkland and Poulter.

Which is now currently on my shopping list of books to buy!

Ok, so following on from yesterdays update, my current working project title (though still subject to change) is:

An enquiry into Soft Systems Methodology in Practice – in a real world business setting

The title stems from my interest and intrigue in SSM used in a business setting - outlined in some of my previous posts.

My Proposal

What I propose to do with this project is carry out an analysis on an existing business interested adopting SSM.

I then intend on documenting and publishing the results and outcomes of analysis/investigation in the form of some kind of easily accessible (perhaps web-based) solution aimed at assisting final year Systems Analysis students learning SSM.

Plan A & B

My current strategy in relation to this project involves a Plan A, and a Plan B. Which I feel is necessary due to the specific nature of this project.

Plan A
Involves:

• First going out and finding a company currently in the early stages of using/adopting SSM.


• Secondly, I would need to get their approval and permission to take part and shadow their practitioners with the running of their project.

In addition, I would ideally need to find a company that is relatively local and I guess in some respects syncs nicely within the time constraints of my project.

As you can imagine, this is going to be a little challenging task – hence the Plan B.

Plan B

So naturally, the Plan B is the backup, in the event that I am unable to find a company.

This Plan B will involve me analysing one or a set of case studies where SSM has been used in business – and again using the outcomes of this analysis and investigation to produce and artefact which will assist final year systems analysis students when learning SSM

Update No. 3

right, today I met with my supervisor. It was very useful, though im a little angry because most of what was discussed is slowly creeping out of my head 8 hours later as I write this update.

Two things im going to need to start doing are:

• making updates immediately after each meeting I have with my supervisor


• and, im also going to need to start jotting down all the ideas that come into my head as and when they happen – this may mean updating this blog more or perhaps keeping some kind of notebook/journal with me at all times

anyway, back to the update. Like I said this meeting with my supervisor today - really useful…

one of the suggestions was that whenever something comes into my head is to note it down, and document it. Perhaps if its something I need to design, start the design process and knock together a few sketches or whatever.
Practitioners tend not to do this whereas students do (or should do this), as it starts to help form some of the foundations in the framework of the project and eventually – and hopefully - the person reading the report will be able to see where an idea came from and the thought processes behind it will be documented.

This is something im going to need to start doing!

So I turned up to today’s meeting slightly worried and concerned that I still did not have a project idea/proposal. As I’ve been talking about for a while now; I am interested in carrying out some sort of project that looks at SSM in a business setting.

I forgot to mention – which I perhaps should have – that a while back I did a search on Google Blog for SSM and came across a job advertisement in the first few hits; looking for a SSM practitioner with at least 3 years experience to work with a company quite local to me for 3 months

As you can imagine, this got me thinking a little.

“Wouldn’t it be pretty cool if I could perhaps get some real experience and exposure; contact this company (or another company for that matter) and try and get involved.”

Naturally, it then clicked, that it would also be pretty neat if I could perhaps base my project on something like this

After chatting with my supervisor about this – we both agreed that this might be the right move and could make an interesting project.

this has led me to my rather vague working title. which for the time being is:

An enquiry into Soft Systems Methodology in Practice – in a real world business setting

im going to stop here this evening and give another update tomorrow explaining a little further what was discussed in the short meeting with my supevisor today (e.g. my Plan A & B) as it's going to get pretty lengthy if keep typing whilst im this tired

more to come tomorrow...

Update No. 2

Hello again

Apologies, I would have updated sooner but the last few days have been a little hectic.

So, finally I am fully enrolled at university and I have picked up a couple of books from the library:

1. Soft Systems Methodology in Action (Checkland and Scholes)


2. Information, Systems and Information Systems (Checkland & Holwell)

Both books based on Systems Analysis and more specifically Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). I read the second (ISIS) around this time last year – it’s a pretty interesting book I guess in a lot of respects aimed kind of business minded people (managers, execs etc).
The first, (SSM in action) I have just started reading.

I’ll keep you guys posted over the next few updates until ive finished reading it. I’m really just reading to brush up my knowledge and pick up on some of the things I didn’t learn the first time around.

Again, still not 100% sure on a project idea – few ideas kicking around – and I’ll have to make some arrangements this week to meet with my supervisor.

I’ll keep this short and hopefully in the next update I’ll have something a little more stimulating to say :)

To Do...

1. Again arrange to meet with my Project Supervisor


2. Again, read and brush-up on SSM


3. Begin putting together that Rich Picture on ME! (including aspects like constraints etc)


4. Finally to perhaps look at putting a Gantt/time chart and really start thinking about my project spec which will of course need to be done sometime in the very near future

my first 'real' post/update.

Welcome again

Well I'm back at university so-to-speak, enrolled but still can't take out books from the library – so that's hindered me a little in terms of getting on with things – hopefully that'll be sorted by the end of the week.
I'm also working part time for ISO at the university doing a few techy things just to keep me financially stable.

Right so my Final Year Project!

I suppose it would be worth me starting with telling you what it's on, right…

What is it on?

At the moment im still not 100% sure; I have been given two options, I either:
Continue with the project I began during the last academic year, or
Begin a new project and start again fresh from scratch

The likelihood is that i'm going to pick the second…

Like I said, im still not 100% sure what the research question for my project is just yet, I am however interested in relating it to Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and how it can be used in a business setting.

To Do…

In the meantime just to get started I guess my plan of action is:

1. to first get fully enrolled


2. brush up on my understanding of SSM


3. hopefully get together with my project supervisor sometime soon and try and work on getting a suitable research question together.

Then I guess it might also be useful to put together a ‘Rich Picture’ of myself and the year ahead…

more to come