Soft Systems Methodology - Case Study
Executive Summary
This report is based on the system at the Births, Deaths and Marriages office of the Salford Council. The first part defines soft systems methodology, which was the method used to gain an understanding of the situation, and why it was an appropriate methodology to use. A rich picture is employed to illustrate the situation at the Births, Deaths and Marriages office.
Root definitions are created using the CATWOE technique for the analysis of the system from the perspective of the customers and employees. A conceptual model derived from the root definition of the employees follows this. The report concludes with a comparison of the rich picture and conceptual model, followed by a set of recommendations for the improvement of the current system.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. Soft Systems: The Methodology 2
3. Rich Picture 3
4. Root Definitions (using CATWOE) 3
4. Root Definitions (using CATWOE) 4
a. Employees 4
b. Customers 5
5. Conceptual Model: Employees 6
6. Comparison of the Rich picture and Conceptual model 7
7. Recommendations 8
8. References 10
1. Introduction
The Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) office is located two kilometres away from the Salford City Council building. Inside the building, the reception desk is located ahead as you walk inside the front door. The reason for the buildings existence is to execute the registration of a life event, making appointments for customers with specialist staff, provide help with research on family trees and provides certificates of life events, where a life event can include a birth of death or a marriage.
The following report is based upon an analysis of the BDM office by the consultants using the soft systems methodology. It then concludes with a set of recommendations to improve the situation at the BDM office and a feasibility assessment. 2. Soft Systems: The Methodology
Traditional methodologies used to understand organisational problems look at the problems
This report is based on the system at the Births, Deaths and Marriages office of the Salford Council. The first part defines soft systems methodology, which was the method used to gain an understanding of the situation, and why it was an appropriate methodology to use. A rich picture is employed to illustrate the situation at the Births, Deaths and Marriages office.
Root definitions are created using the CATWOE technique for the analysis of the system from the perspective of the customers and employees. A conceptual model derived from the root definition of the employees follows this. The report concludes with a comparison of the rich picture and conceptual model, followed by a set of recommendations for the improvement of the current system.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. Soft Systems: The Methodology 2
3. Rich Picture 3
4. Root Definitions (using CATWOE) 3
4. Root Definitions (using CATWOE) 4
a. Employees 4
b. Customers 5
5. Conceptual Model: Employees 6
6. Comparison of the Rich picture and Conceptual model 7
7. Recommendations 8
8. References 10
1. Introduction
The Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) office is located two kilometres away from the Salford City Council building. Inside the building, the reception desk is located ahead as you walk inside the front door. The reason for the buildings existence is to execute the registration of a life event, making appointments for customers with specialist staff, provide help with research on family trees and provides certificates of life events, where a life event can include a birth of death or a marriage.
The following report is based upon an analysis of the BDM office by the consultants using the soft systems methodology. It then concludes with a set of recommendations to improve the situation at the BDM office and a feasibility assessment. 2. Soft Systems: The Methodology
Traditional methodologies used to understand organisational problems look at the problems