IMS5024 Information Systems Modelling

1. IMS5024 Information Systems Modelling Human Activity modelling

2. Content • Soft Systems Methodology

3. Why consider human behaviour? • Started with participation • History of participation - refer back to Hirschheim et al. • Early ISD payed lip service to participation • System technically viable – but fails because?

4. History of ISD methodologies

5. History of ISD methodologies(2)

6. History of ISD methodologies(3)

7. Answers to these problems: • More than interviews • HCI • End user computing • JAD and JRP • Prototyping

8. Three levels of participation: • Consultative – lowest level • Representative – design group, equal say • Consensus- involve all user department staff, user driven

9. Human Activity modelling view of ISD: Human-oriented Conventional after Fig 7.1 Avison & Fitzgerald

10. Soft Systems Methodology • (always abbreviated to SSM) • came from the failure of systems engineering to solve management problems • applies systems thinking to messy problems • not a development methodology

11. rationale for SSM • humans attribute meaning to what they experience and observe • we form intentions and take action based on the meanings we derive • new experiences can change the meaning we attribute • this is called learning

12. application of SSM • people take purposeful action • using Information Systems as tools • if analysts understand their intentions we can build better tools • SSM brings rigour to the process of understanding

13. the basic shapeof SSM Checkland and Scholes (1990) p29

14. the process of doing SSM • a situation is interpreted by some as being a problem which they want to fix • the situation is a product of history • it has a cultural dimension and a logic-based dimension • the one informs the other so that agreed action is both culturally feasible and systemically desirable

15. activities in an SSM study • identify and engage the problem situation • express the problem situation • define “systems” which might be relevant • model the relevant systems • compare them with the real world and discuss • identify changes agreed to be feasible and desirable • take action to change the situation

16. the cultural enquiry • understand the situation • record your understanding diagrammatically • analyse the intervention • identify the roles being played • place the roles in their social context • try to identify the political dimension in the problem situation

17. understanding the situation • Rich Picture Diagram • interested parties • alliances • feuds • values • constraints • perceptions • documents the people-related issues

18. Rich Picture Diagrams • you don’t have to be an artist! • it would take too many words to express • shows complexity better than linear prose • for the use of the analyst alone; not a communication tool • refer: Lewis, Avison & Wood-Harper, Avison & Fitzgerald

19. Rich PictureDiagram Checkland and Scholes (1990) p47

20. RPD examples • Checkland and Scholes (1990) figures 2.13, 2.14 pp46-47 • Avison and Fitzgerald (1995) figure 4.2 p112 • Lewis P.J in EJIS 1,5 pp351-360

21. Analysis One • analysis of the intervention itself • who is the client? • who is the would-be problem solver? • who is the problem owner?

22. Analysis Two • roles • norms • values • the interaction of these three determines the social fabric of the situation

23. Analysis Two Checkland and Scholes (1990) p49

24. Analysis Three • who has power in the situation? • how is it manifest? • who can you believe? • you can’t ask straight questions • what do you do when they wont tell you? • can the politics ruin the whole exercise?

25. Content • Rich pictures • Root definitions • Conceptual models • SSM • Others (Multiview, Ethics) • Place in ISD • Evaluation of Human Activity modelling

26. Reading for next week Checkland and Scholes. 1999. Chapter 2, pp 44-58 Lewis, P. 1992. European Journal of Information Systems 1, 5, pp351-360 Davies, L. 1988. Journal of Applied Systems Analysis 15, 1, pp31-36

27. human activity systems • like natural systems and designed systems, they are useful descriptors • different from the actions which people undertake in life • a conceptual rather than a descriptive model • but, a conceptual model from somebody’s point of view

28. Relevant Systems a system to… ….perfectly perform some function • each person involved will have a point of view on what is the perfect performance

29. selecting relevant systems • no system is inherently relevant to a given problem situation • Primary Task system • Issue-based systems • metaphors can help conceptualise systems

30. Relevant system • a system (in the philosophical sense) that is helpful for understanding a real-world situation • scope / boundary • defined purpose • input - transformation - output • consistent / dependable • it is a human activity system

31. naming relevant systems • a Root Definition (the name) expresses the essence of a particular relevant system • It is a transformation from input to output • “A system to do X by means of Y in order to achieve Z” • best done by considering the elements of the CATWOE mnemonic

32. CATWOE mnemonic C ustomers A ctors T ransformation W eltanschauung O wners E nvironment The Core issues

33. Relevant system / Root Definition • There may be many for any one real world situation • One primary task Root Definition • Many issue-based task Root Definitions

34. conceptual models • the minimum set of activities necessary to undertake the transformation • based on logical contingency • may be hierarchically decomposed • represented as process bubbles linked by contingency arrows • includes monitoring and control

35. conceptual model structure Must do this before the last activity 2 Do this activity first 1 Take control action Then you can do this activity 3 Only do this after the other activities 4 Monitor 1 - 4 Define performance criteria

36. what use is the model? • it is an ideal type relevant to the problem • it is neither valid nor invalid, only defensible or indefensible in terms of the problem • Used to start a discussion about the model and its relevance to the problem • Does this model suggest some action for improvement of the problem situation?

37. achieving results • several methods of testing the models • search for agreement not compromise • the whole problem wont be “solved” • make the agreed changes • reflect on their outcome • do the whole process over again until agreement to finish

38. comparison matrix from Checkland & Scholes (1990) p43

39. Advantages/ Benefits of Human Activity modelling • Include different perspectives on a problem situation • Compare reality with the conceptual model • Participation of affected people essential • Change is a central element of the process • Others??

40. Disadvantages of Human Activity modelling • Only useable in soft problems • Can take a long time to reach consensus • Some managers see this as silly • Not well used • Others??

41. References Checkland and Scholes (1990) Soft Systems Methodology in Action. John Wiley & Sons Avison and Fitzgerald (2003) Information Systems Development. 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill Stowell (1995) Information Systems Provision. McGraw-Hill.