What is it about?
Soft inquiry involves exploring the situation with those involved as a means of reaching an informed way forward. Instead of seeking a ‘solution the investigator engenders a cycle of learning. This is in contrast with methods based upon scientific management where 'solutions' are sought through methods dedicated to optimisation of possible outcomes. Examples of soft approaches include SSM [the most well known], and AIM
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Why is it important?
The value of these ideas is that they acknowledge the importance of subjective experience in social interaction and is marked shift away from the traditional notion of Systems based upon natural science and its emphasis on objectivity and technique. The problems that face us are interconnected in some way of another and, in an increasingly complex world the importance of thinking holistically cannot be overstated.
Perspectives
The importance of this paper is that it surfaces the fruitful discussions that began in the 1970's about the nature of inquiry into human situations. The author reflects upon the lessons learnt from the 30 year research project at the University of Lancaster, which initiated a new way of looking at complex situations through the lens of what became known as 'soft systems'; out of this project emerged Soft Systems Methodology. In the paper the author raises the question if the success of SSM has constrained further exploration of the underpinning ideas and suggests that there is much to be gained by revisiting these ideas.
Frank Stowell
School of Computing, Information Systems Group, University of Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Can Husserl’s phenomenology provide the intellectual framework of soft systems? (Part one), Kybernetes, July 2020, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/k-11-2019-0753.
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