Traffic congestion

Mona ALShaikh 99288661

The traffic congestion in Kuwait

1.0 Introduction

Traffic congestion is famous problem in most countries, it occurs when volume of traffic
or modal split generates demand for space greater than the available road capacity. As
we are facing traffic congestion in daily life and its seems to be one of the most important
problems we are facing in our contemporary time and how it turns out to be complex
situation for the government and the private sector. Understanding how to manage
complexity and the systems approach and all that led to be a system practitioner, which is
due to in the observation, as founding Traffic congestion on of the serious problems that
most of countries around the world are facing. Therefore, traffic congestion had chosen it
to speak about it in the project. As a system practitioner the system of interest in that
project is to reduce traffic congestion (crowed) and subsystem of interest include the
procedures or plans that the government should make to improve from this situation.
Therefore beginning to make researches and interviews, and collect the colleague's
suggestions and point of view about the project in which noted that every one around us
is annoyed from the same problem, and Also had noticed that the government should
have future plan to improve from this situation. Also it is obviously shown that every
year the numbers of using cars increasing without any care about how this will affect the
atmosphere or the environment around us, also there is less improvement to the roads or
the rules for the old cars that cause disaster to the environment., which could have a
negative impact on the environment of Kuwait, as well as environment of the whole
world, which could lead to global warming too. So will try the best to provide the project
with new and effective solutions, to improve and reduce the traffic congestion and how it
can handle this situation. So the objective from this study to help the government as a
client for my project to reduce or improve from that problem through exploring some
systems that contain procedures or plans that government can do to help it in this
situation. During the researches founding the similar areas (countries) facing same
problem (traffic congestion) in Kuwait and how all the countries solved the problem if

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they are or what is the future plan of thinking and how all that procedures or plans will
help Kuwait country to solve this complex problem

1.1 Interest

My system of interest in my project is to reduce traffic congestion and the crowed and
the subsystem of interest in my project is to find the procedures or plans that the
government should make to improve from this situation to reduce the traffic congestion
and reduce the environmental problems because really it's a serious problem. Plans and
the new procedures

1.2 Objective

So I will try my best to provide my project with new and effective solutions, to improve
and reduce the traffic congestion and how it can handle this situation.
So my objective from this study to help the government as a client for my project to
reduce or improve from that problem through exploring some systems that contain
procedures or plans that government can do to help it in this situation. I was very
interesting during my project researches' I learned loot Most of my project data
collection have been completed by now every lecture I was showing my tutor the
researches I got from the websites or newspapers so I will try my best to provide my
project with new and effective solutions, to improve and reduce the traffic congestion and
how it can handle this situation.

2.0 Research done

Google was the search engine.
I read a lot about that complex problem and after reading I collect the resources for the
project from the websites, news papers and I tried to understand the work done in similar
areas (other countries in the world) I choose four areas of them and the work done in

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those areas which suffering from the same problem (traffic congestion) comparing to
Kuwait understanding some solutions future planning and the procedures used.

(Begg; D, 2003 traffic congestion plans doomed)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3050082.stm

In U.K the government had planed that within 10 year transport plan it will influence
people to switch from usage of cars to usage of trains , in this way they will be able to
undermined 20% of decrease in the cost of motoring and an equal rise in public transport
prices . If this plan was also introduced in Kuwait it will assist in reducing traffic
congestion, Increasing rail passenger growth , introducing trains and improving their
punctuality , Increasing rail freight Tripling the amount of cycling and Improving bus
reliability to 99.5% of scheduled mileage

(Jin; W, 2007 the future of Beijing public transportation)
http://www.bjreview.com.cn/exclusive/txt/2007-06/19/content_66649.htm

In china the Public transportation of Beijing is planning to build a strong Public
transportation system to solve traffic congestion and cut car emission which is increasing
year by year. In which they are planning to set up a numerous parking built with the
city’s metro lines and at the largest bus stations that connect Beijing’s urban areas to its
outskirts. It hopes, in this way, to encourage people to park their cars and then use the
public transportation system.

The construction of public transportation is one solution to the city's traffic problem. As
when most of the Metro lines will be completed it will connect 22 station which means
that more transfer convenience will be provided to citizens when the city completes its
construction of 82 interchange stations, connecting subways, bus stations and railway
stations.
Metro lines in my opinion is a very good idea to reduce such traffic in Kuwait, but still
we have limitation the flow of personal cars into the city requires a different solution. As
most men and women still choose to drive since that gives them greater flexibility about
the times to travel for leisure or working.

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(Ali; S. 2008 Business information center)

http://www.amcham.org.eg/operation/Committees/Committees0708/transport/brief.asp

The American Champers of commence in Egypt had introduced a project to introduce
luxury bus services , in which they had met on November 13 with guest speakers Ali S.
Huzayyin, professor of transport and traffic engineering and planning at Cairo
University’s Faculty of Engineering, and Mohamed Bayoumi, assistant resident
representative at UNDP Egypt. The meeting addressed the topic “UNDP Sustainable
Transport Initiative: promotion of private sector investment in public transport.”

Huzayyin and Bayoumi explained that the UNDP Global Environment Facility (GEF)
and the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) plan to initiate a sustainable
transport project in collaboration with the Development Research & Technological
Planning Center at Cairo University.

One of the project’s objectives is to introduce private luxury bus services to Cairo with
the goal of encouraging car users to shift to buses. This would help to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions, energy consumption and traffic congestion on the project’s selected
corridors. And these buses will connect the most congestion cities in Egypt .

While in Kuwait , if we had introduced these luxury buses and a metro like they have in
Egypt , that might reduce a little bit the traffic congestion , but certainly , a huge number
of the high class of the community will still use there cars , which is more than one and
actually use it show off.

(Naji ; r ,2007 metro stations and lines to be branded)

http://www.dubai-online.com/transport/video-congestion.htm

Dubai is also on the countries that has a massive traffic congestion problem. The authorities are
taking a number of measures to reduce this, including building the Dubai Metro and introducing
road tolls. Dubai Metro is currently under construction in which they aim by finishing it will ease

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this congestion and reduce passenger traveling time. While for the Road tolls , in July 2007 they
had beginned with Sheikh Zayed Road , in which 4 dirham toll will be automatically deducted
from a prepaid tag as drivers enter a toll zone while .

While I think , if Kuwait introduced such road, this will be a good factor to reduce road
traffic ,but it should have alternative traffic ways which enables people to use other roads .

3.0 Gaps

Gaps are the issues which are not observed in the previous studies and discussion and
you want to study that, there are many things that haven't done in my project because of
many reasons.
In my project I wished to meet people from the government such as managers from
traffic management and to know more about that complex situation and to know the new
procedures and plane to add that information to my project, because I found out during
my search that the Kuwaiti government thinking serious in 2014 to build a hug metro
network, I wished to add this new plan to my project but I don’t have enough information
to do that.
For example I will apply the soft system method only I wished to apply both but the time
is very short and I fell that I'm stronger in applying the soft system method.

4.0 New work

- Using trains like UK If this plan was also introduced in Kuwait it will assist in reducing
traffic congestion, Increasing rail passenger growth , introducing trains and improving
their punctuality , Increasing rail freight Tripling the amount of cycling

- Metro system like china lines in my opinion is a very good idea to reduce such traffic
in Kuwait , but still we have limitation the flow of personal cars into the city requires a
different solution. As most men and women still choose to drive since that gives them
greater flexibility about the times to travel for leisure or working.

- if we had introduced these luxury buses and a metro like they have in Egypt , that
might reduce a little bit the traffic congestion , but certainly , a huge number of the high

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class of the community will still use there cars , which is more than one and actually use
it show off.

- Traffic management and transportation programming this kind of management
programming should be made by the government like other countries I found during my
researches such as:
- improve public transportation service like train and luxury buses for employees
- Differentiation and control the time of working
- Increase number of bridges and reduce the traffic signals.
- Encourage people for walking when they can than using their cars
- Improve and enhance the narrow roads
- Reduce the number of cars drivers in each family for less traffic congestion
- As a Kuwait significant location can introduce boat transportation.
- protect and save the environment
- develop the awareness to our environment' and increase regulations
- Reduce the number of old cars in the street with is effect the environment.
- add new technology to ease congestion
- Online traffic website during 24 hours
- building metro system, trains.

5.0 Tools and applying tools

T306 had helped me to know different types of tools and methods and know I have the
chance to use them in my project.
So my aim of the project try to find out if I can implement what I've been studied in T306
of managing complexity through using some tools such as spray diagram and systems
map , multiple cause diagram , influence diagram , control model. Drawing all that
diagrams will help me to gain my understanding for the situation and make the situation
for me more clearly and to view it in better way through using this tool. (SUDA)
Sensing – it helps in exploring and sensing the mess which is difficult in my situation and
could cause different types of delay
It enables me to feel the real situation and recognize where is my real mess, so due to
that I will explore it in Spray diagram (Summary diagram) as shown below

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Understanding – I will be able to identify the system of interest from the material which
I had collected, in which in my current case the car user, other countries and also Kuwait
government. After that I will discuss my system of interest which is Traffic congestion –
and I will explore it more through – System map and influence diagram

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6.0 Methods

Thinking to the real world of human organization Using system approaches like soft
system method a qualitative technique and it’s the way of dealing with problem
situation in which there is a high social, political and human activity component to help
in developing new solution for the complex and messy situation, by analyze the
situation in each stage to improve from the situation and using different tools which is
traffic congestion. soft system method have many features and useful way to approach
complex situation and corresponding messy questions, such as understanding the messy
situation in systemic way ( the whole) and improve and understand the weakness and at
the end to reach the aim and the goal of the project and provide the change by
understanding the action have to be taken and enable implementation from different
stakeholder and different perspectives .

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7.0 Soft system Dynamics methodology diagram

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8.0 Implementation

8.1 Stage 1 : The problem situation unstructured

The first stage of SSM is exploring and finding out about a situation it is important
to gather as many perceptions of the problem situation as possible from a number of
people involved in the problem situation .
Traffic congestion which is a very serious problem and The most countries in the world

facing this problem , Kuwait is one of those countries , for this reason choosing to talk
about traffic congestion in Kuwait which seems to be one of the most important problem
we are facing more than before specially in the last four years , it’s a complex situation
because numbers of population and people using cars increasing every day and that
effect the atmosphere and the environment around us from the cars consumption and
the gases which harm our health , the government should play a big role to solve this
problem ant to find a solutions and start putting a clear future plan for this serious
complex problem , my system of interest in the project is
to reduce the traffic congestion and reduce the environmental problems because really
it's a serious problem and the subsystem of interest is the rules and the plans and the new
procedures that should be make to improve from this complex situation.
I consider myself to be stakeholder because am a car user in this situation, and the
problem I face every day many questions cross my mind before leaving to any place i
don’t know how to reach the place I want to go to my university, increasing the numbers
of cars every day the depletion of the ozone layer , pollution from the oil and gas
consumption which effect the environment lead to effect to our health from those
harmful gases and pollutions, its really a complex situation for all the society.
For this reason I read a lot about this kind of problem and I searched through news papers
and the internet I collected a big number of researches, the other countries have same
our problem were my focus at , how they try to solve that complexity in there countries,
understanding the future plans and the new technology used , as stakeholder my objective
is to study this kind of complex situation to find the new and latest solutions and help the
government the big authority and protect the environment from that disaster problem

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understanding the what is environmental friendly mean , as I mentioned that I consider
my self involve in the situation.

8.2 Stage 2: problem situation expressed (rich picture)
The rich picture can help in sorting out the basics of the situation and a helpful tool for
explaining the fundamentals to all interested parties. Rich pictures (situation summaries)
are used to depict complicated situations. They are an attempt to encapsulate the real
situation through a no holds barred , cartoon rpresentation of all ethe ideas covered al
ready layout ,connections , relationships, influences , cause and effect :
Rich Picture Elements:
* Pictorial symbols
* Keywords
* Cartoons
* Sketches
* Symbols
* Title

8.3 Stage 3: root definition of relevant system

Each of the CATWOE can use for asking relevant questions about the human activity
system, every root definition is based on a specific worldview.
CATWOE the first letter of each characteristic forms as a root definition for relevant
system to check its components with the mess situation, and introduce a system taken
forward for development is "a system for making procedures or plans by the government
to improve the problem from different view points and perspectives

Customers: who are victims or beneficiaries of the transformation process
Population (employees-students), beneficial people car seller cars companies, cars drivers
and mechanic, user of road, user of cars , , or construction companies, garages , provider
or cars aboard like china or England

Actors: who are doing the activities of the transformation process for example Kuwait
government, ministry of interior.

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Transformation process: input is transformation into output , the need to change to
improve from this problem , to reduce the congestion and pollution which is faced , and
identify the perfect transformation process to reduce the traffic congestion.

Worldview: those who have interest in this problem, new ideas .

Owner: they have the authority to stop the transformation process, Kuwait government
or Kuwait country.

Environmental constraints: to be environment friendly requirements for enhancing
technological (new roads or metro system), social (people health) and economic (oil and
gas consumption) .

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8.4 Stage 4: Conceptual model

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This model comes from root definition that contains my system thinking world
(suggesting for improving the situation) government should put plans and procedures
which I will explain in the next 3 steps:
STEP 1: Traffic management and transportation programming
This kind of management programming doing by the government

1- improve public transportation service like train and luxury buses for employees
2- differentiation and control the time of working
3- Increase number of bridges and reduce the traffic signals.
4- Encourage people for walking when they can than using their cars
5- Improve and enhance the narrow roads
6- Reduce the number of cars drivers in each family for less traffic congestion
7- As a Kuwait significant location can introduce a boat transportation.

STEP 2: protect and save the environment
1- develop the awareness to our environment' and increase regulations
2- Reduce the number of old cars in the street with is effect the environment with the
emission

STEP 3: add new technology to ease congestion
1. online traffic website during 24 hours
2. building metro system , trains .

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8.5 Stage 5: Comparison of stage 4 with stage 2
Conceptual models are compared to the real world with the objective of having a
well structured for the situation to improve it.
Activity on model Exist How is it done? Support Good any

(new ideas) (Is it in real life?) (the way ) Who? or Alternative?

(by whom) Bad
Improve public Not all companies provide Each company Government Good NO
forcing
transportation service this kind of should provide this
train luxury buses, for transportation ,like train kind of service with
each company and and luxury buses only this less fees and for
encourage the service provided in the many different
employee to use it schools and in some areas
universities

Government Good NO
Differentiation and most of the companies New rules for
control the time of starting the time of working working hours
working in same time as schools and
universities

Government Good No

Increase number of I don’t think in Kuwait New management
bridges and reduce the there is the number of programs should
traffic signals. bridge the country needs reduce the number
and the number of signals of traffic signals
are increasing day by day and increase
and led to traffic number of bridges
congestion
Encourage people for Not all the people like to People awareness Government Good NO

walking when they can walk because of the hot of the bad effect of

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than using their cars weather in Kuwait the cars emission

Improve and enhance Kuwait start to improve the Study each street in Government Good No
send special
the narrow roads roads but I think roads in Kuwait and the
technical
Kuwait needs more enhancement need
engineers to
enhancement fro that kind of study the
street roads
Reduce the number of Problem in exit every government put Government Good No
driving cars in each family have more than 1 strict rules to give
family for less traffic car because of the changing the driving licenses
congestion in the life style than before

As a Kuwait significant Not exit Kuwaiti introduce new Government Good No
location can introduce government should study transportation such
boat transportation. more the significant as boats between
location in Kuwait no Kuwait areas
transportation through the
sea
Develop the awareness' Not exit not much Government Government Good No
and increase advertisements to show and increase the
regulations aware people the bad effect awareness about
for the cars emission the risk come from
the cars emissions
because of the
congestion
Reduce the number of Not exits many very old Strict rules and Government Good No
old cars in the street cars models in the street procedures for that
with is effect the effect the environment with old cars
environment with the the high level of emissions
emission

Online traffic website Not exist and most of the Peoples can Government Good No

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during 24 hours people knows how to use monitor the road and IT
the internet peoples
they wants to go
before leaving the
place they are.
Building metro system Not exit Kuwait don’t have Studying this kind Government Good No
this kind of system which of system
help to reduce the
congestion

8.6 Stage 6: Debate and determine on systemically desirable and feasible changes
To implement any change must this change make sense in the system terms .and asking if
the changes if the change is feasible ,This stage is concerned with roles of government
the problem owners and problem solvers, and almost certainly other stakeholders; the
purpose of this stage is to conduct a structured conversation with the actors about the
ideas that are now starting appears from the analysis. Some ideas about possible changes
in the problem situation and try to identify these ideas are agreed by the actors. So, as I
mentioned that traffic congestion come from different reasons I have make suggestions
for that to develop or enhance the performance of government.

8.7 Stage 7: Action to solve the problem or improve the situation
That is the last stage of SSM and In this stage we can make some changes such as
changing structures like the government responsibilities toward this problem, lines of
functional responsibilities try to make changes in procedures like putting different ways
or new ideas that help government to improve from that situation which I present them,
we can make also changes in policy like in the goals and strategies like make or develop
environmental standards and regulations, changes also can be with people attitudes
whether employees or cars drivers by taking care of the procedures or plan that
government put and trying their best to help government improve from this problem.

9.0 Conclusion for applying SSM

I think the government have more authority to solve the traffic congestion and that by
developing new procedures and more rules and a healthy future plans in a high level of

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standards and listening to the people new ideas and suggestions to reduce or improve the
problem ,using the latest technology, and all should have the ecological awareness to help
the environment .
10.0 Appendix

10.01 People survey (person 1)
Name: Sara Riyad Monir Age: 27 Years….occupation:…Teacher .Tel:…7444735

Do you drive a car?
Yes
How many cars does your family at home have?
4 cars.
Why do you assume that some families own more than one car?
Because of the different of the time work and every one like to have his or her own
car.

What do you think about the traffic in Kuwait nowadays?
its totally crowded ,the truth that the number of cars increasing day by day
Why do you think numbers of cars are increasing in Kuwait?
Don’t forget the affect of globalization and every thing is changed so each family like
to have more than one car.
Do you think it is appropriate to drive a car even through it is badly affected our
environment?
To be honest in my answer I think most of drivers don’t care about that they care only
to reach the place they need to go .
What do you think the government can do to help the environment?
I think government should make more restrict rules to the car companies to produce
cars have less harm to the environment.
How government can reduce the numbers of cars in the street?
in a simple way more procedures and a good future plans and more awareness to the
drivers.
What do you think a bout Kuwait road design nowadays?
the Kuwaiti government start to understand the serious problem of the design of the
most roads in Kuwait and for that reasons government start to improve some narrow
roads especially in salmiya and we thank the government .
What advice can you give to help reduce traffic congestion in Kuwait?

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I think government should think in building a new system like metro and improve the
public service transportation and to design a big bridge like the other countries.

10.2 People survey (person 2)

Name: Eyad Arab .Age :46..Years … occupation…Engineer .Tel…6656429
Do you drive a car?
Yes

How many cars does your family at home have?
3 cars
Why do you assume that some families own more than one car?
There are many reasons I think every person in the family like to have a car and feel
more comfortable to go to the place he/she wants without waiting.
What do you think about the traffic in Kuwait nowadays?
Oh it’s a horrible really to much crowed and sometimes I can't find a parking for my
car.
Why do you think numbers of cars are increasing in Kuwait?
I think Kuwait is an open country and the foreign people are increasing and the other
reason is each family has more than one car.
Do you think it is appropriate to drive a car even through it is badly affected our
environment?
I think each of us can't go to work or to any place without car I think the car
manufacture should care about the cars design and enhance the engines to have less
impact to our environment.
What do you think the government can do to help the environment?
Government should making restrict rules for persons who will take license and study
the case for each one before giving the driving license.
How government can reduce the numbers of cars in the street?
Government should make more restrict rules for the companies' cars and develop
standards rules.
What do you think a bout Kuwait road nowadays?
The roads in Kuwait need more enhancements, make more bridges and I think that
will help to reduce from the traffic congestion problem.

What advice can you give to help reduce traffic congestion in Kuwait?

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Using new technologies that help in regulate traffic and improve from roads and
increases bridges.

11.0 Ethicality statement

An ethicality statement sets of the ethical aspirations the values that some one aspires to
in their work. And the statement emerges from reflection on the values that are important
to the individual, so my values from choose the traffic congestion issue and why it's
important for me.

Some values reflected in the ethicality statements.
1- The respectful of the people researched …research with people not on people
2- The standards are to be set by the people whom participate in the researches
rather than by me.
3- Statement of what research I was doing as much as about how it was to be done.
4- The statement should speak for both intentions and actions.

- The views and reflection of the people whom they are facing the daily traffic
congestion problem and the government are similar to each other as every one of
them wants to end this issue.

- As am a researcher I will respect the experience and views that all other bring to me,
such as the car users, the government; and the researcher will respect the difference
between them.

- The methods that I will be using as system practitioner including the way I will be
writing things will included everyone. I will be asking for, and acting on , feedback
about whether people feel included , because this is very important part of learning .

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- Individuals and Government involvement in this research is separate from, and will
not directly affect, any other involvement they may have with government rules and
regulations.

- Nobody will be involved in the research without their informed consent.
Which means that every one knows.
- They can choose not to participate and give us their opinion as individual,
- They can withdraw at any time.
- What they must do if they choose to participate in reducing the traffic
- What will happen to the information that they give while they are involved in the
research

- All information will be regarded as confidential. They are not using it so people can be
identified, without their recorded agreement.

- There is only one situation when information might be shared with someone else
without this recorded consent. All people have a right to be protected from harm. So I as
a system practitioner if I believe from what I hear or see that anyone might be in danger
or being abused , then an action should be taken. In my case traffic might cause deadly
disease from car emissions and pollution so researches institute should report this to
government to take the necessary action.

- Those involved, including car users and individuals, have a right to know what happens
to the information they provided through their involvement in the research. The
researcher will report back on what all those who had involved and invite further
comments.

- The research is expected to help the Government to improve reducing traffic congestion
practice. However not everyone directly involved in the research may benefit from it.
This might included car user, companies, car production, by setting a campaign
introducing them the environmentally, healthy, and the harm that traffic congestion is
causing and giving them some tips to avoid such act in the future. .

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12.0 References

During my TMA Google was my search engine

Project guide course material.
T552 diagrams from T205 course material.
Block 4 and 5 T306 course material.

(Ali; S. 2008 Business information center)
(Begg; D, 2003 traffic congestion plans doomed)
(Jin; W, 2007 the future of Beijing public transportation)
(Naji ; r ,2007 metro stations and lines to be branded)

http://www.amcham.org.eg/operation/Committees/Committees0708/transport/brief.asp
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3050082.stm
http://www.bjreview.com.cn/exclusive/txt/2007-06/19/content_66649.htm
http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/reseach/0,2310,sid%253D1000%2526cid%253D28906,00.ht
mlhttp://www.dubai-online.com/transport/video-congestion.htm

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Client report

I had chosen to talk about the traffic congestion in Kuwait as an important situation
because numbers of people using cars increasing every day, going from one place to
another became a very big problem and all that effect the atmosphere and the
environment around us from the cars consumption and from using the resources without
understanding the bad effect of the fuel consumption which harm the environment .its
really a big problem for all society. I start my researches and collecting the information
from many resources related to my subject traffic congestion, collection data was from
internet, news papers and other resources, after I had collected the researches and start to
improve from that problem by giving some ideas can help the government because
government is the most important actor and the authority and the one has the right to
decide , before introducing my ideas I understand the weakness in the real life situation
and compare that with my new ideas and from the other countries which they have same
problem. After my researches I became more strong to introduce some ideas to improve
from this problem such as build a strong traffic management and transportation
programming , improve the public transportation like train or metro system to the
employee's and students, the metro system or trains are not yet introduced in Kuwait
city and the most of the other countries which they have the traffic congestion start to
develop this services and increase the number of bridges which will reduce the traffic
congestion , its very important to reduce the number of signals in Kuwait roads because
the number of signals are more than the streets need as the Kuwaiti roads all we knows
not that big and narrow which the government should improve the narrow roads than
reduce the traffic signals , find a rules and a solution for the numbers of the old cars
which effect our environment by the high level of the bad emissions .

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Government can help in reduce the congestion by using the strict rules before giving the
driving license to the people the most of the students in university and even in the schools
they have a driving license most of them are not working and I don’t think its important
for them to have a driving license, I think the government should study each case
carefully and increase the awareness in the different kinds of media such as news papers
TV and encourage the people to understand more about the risk come from the cars
emissions .

As all we know Kuwait has a significant location as near from the Arabian Gulf, Kuwait
government should take the advantages of that by introduce boats transportation. As all
we know that Kuwait is a development country and its very easy to add new technology
to reduce this problem by monitoring the traffic road in each area 24 hours using the
internet and special traffic website. if all this fact taking in consider the traffic congestion
will be less and all this new systems for planning by government will help to improve
from the situation.

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Week 1
In this week , I was checking the project guide course material to know more details about the
how am going to solve my TMA , in order to prepare the time schedule plan and to organize my
time to enable me finishing my project before the deadline.
I also had checked the T306 course material and what methods , tools and techniques I could
use,
My first week was getting an idea how am going to do my project, how much time I need to
prepare for it.
In which I had read the study guide and noted down all the points required from me to be sure I
didn’t forget any thing.

Week 2
I began to think about the complex situation in which I have experience on it and I would like to
solve it.
Actually I was thinking about a couple of topics which I face in my life and find them complex,
then I began to ask my relatives which one to choose. After a couple of conversations I felt that
am facing daily traffic in my way to work ,back to home , to university . Therefore, finally I had
decided that I will choose Traffic Congestion, which is a serious problem that we are facing in
our daily life, in the country I live in Kuwait and also other countries around the world facing the
same thing. I face a problem in choosing the topic because the topic will success or fell my
project if I had the wrong decision.
So the Second week it was the discussions which was happing to specify my project.

Week 3
After deciding that Traffic Congestion is the topic of my project ,I start drawing a spray
diagram to summary the situation for more understanding and I began to specify my clients
and how can I be beneficial to Kuwait government with my project , I fell that am a part from
that complex situation and am responsible to solve the complex problem , how am going to help
them to overcome and reduce the current situation in Kuwait daily traffic . I will also highlight on
some stakeholders and show their perspectives.

29


will also prepare the question which needs to be asked to give to people as a survey, in which I
will be able to check their comments and views. Really I face problem here it was my first time
doing survey

Week 4
DATA- CAPTA- INFORMATION – to reach KNOWLEDGE I began to search through
internet , newspapers , ministry website , to find any information's relate my project , which
helps me to understand the current situation that the country is going through and check if there
is any future plans they are thinking about.
Actually searching for information and data had enabled me to understand a lot of things and
enabled me to think more widely, and help me to have an idea how am going to help the
governments with my plans to overcome the traffic problem. The truth I really was tired the net
is a full of knowledge and information it's not easy to select the best.

Week 5
I began to use the system thinking tools like spray diagram, system map, rich picture, influence
diagram, I face problem in drawing control model my tutor helped me to answer my
questions ,and helped me to understand the situation more clearly. In which I had an overview
about all over the situation which am working on which enabled me to view the situation and the
problems that effects it , in all its surroundings I was not sure if our tutor need a sign graph I
face a problem in that point I was not strong in drawing that kind of diagram ,
In this week I will show my tutor the diagrams and ask him about the sign graph which I had
drawn for his comments and suggestions.
Week 6
In this week I was checking which method I can apply to my situation I was not sure After I
discuss with my Tutor I had decided that the most suitable method for my project will be soft
system method SSM.
As I didn’t see that VSM is a suitable method for my project while I cant apply HSM as I don’t
have final solution and I cant decide by my self for the solution a lot of stakeholders are a part of
my problem which am trying to solve.

Week 7
I had prepared the outcomes and my recommendations that I had suggested to represented to
the client
(government ) which comes from analysis of the stages which I had applied in Soft System
method

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Then I had showed my tutor my work to take his overall point of view about my work and to
have his advices to enhance my work. And take his comments in consideration , and show him
where I had reached till now in my project.

Week 8

I began writing my report about traffic congestion in Kuwait, setting everything in order to
representing in a good manner, applying most of the things that I have learnt in T306. ,
introduction , tools methods , Soft system stages , ethical statement , and then I had added the
survey which I had got from my colleagues at work , then I revised all my work , checking that I
hadn’t left any thing behind , recheck grammars , layout and diagrams.

Week 9

In this week I start typing my report project I used the T306 CD I face a problem how to
design the pages and the index ,the way our tutor wants I called my friend and I discussed with
her my questions , I start collecting everything that I make from week 1 to week 8 and I try to
design my project in my way to be good report and to put in it all what I learn in T306,I start
solving TMA-7 witch is the last report . After finish the report I put also the survey that I make
and I take two persons who full my survey through answering questions that are on it and the
ethically statement that I make in TMA6.

Week 10
In this week am very happy the project is ready before the submit time I just need to listen to
my tutor ideas and be sure about the project look and the page numbers the index I think all that
will not take a big time from me am really very happy it was my first time during studying in
AOU doing a project by my self and I think I will keep a copy to show my work to my friends ,
my family  and maybe in the future to my students as I like to be a tutor in Lebanon university .
and at the end I will make a revision for all things that I done it in my report trying to find
anything that I miss to insert it with my project and to check the way that I design my report on it
and checking the grammar and spelling for the report. Also I make revision for diagrams that I
draw for the situation to be sure that everything is completely and I try to cover everything that I
feel its weak and try to enhance from it to present it in better way.

31


Project chart

week 1 1/3/2008-7/3/2008
Our tutor explain the project guide and advice us to start choosing our
projects topics.
2 days to read the project guide to understand the project

week 2 8/3/2008-14/3/2008
After reading the project guide and understand the steps I choose
my topic (traffic congestion).
3 days for the researches in websites , news papers and asking
my tutor his ideas

week 3 15/3/2008-21/3/2008
Start searching through the internet, news papers, ministry
website finding information's and select the best for my project.
2 days selecting the mining full information's and the best
knowledge

week 4 22/3/2008-28/3/2008

After reading loot I show my tutor the researches I choose, and
the similar areas have same my situation, discuss with him the
project
22/3/2008 was Saturday and I shows the researches which I
chose to my tutor and he gave me his advices

week 5 29/3/2008-4/4/2008
High light some stakeholders; show the perspectives, survey for
my friends and other peoples.
4 days for making survey for my friends and family

week 6 5/4/2008-11/4/2008

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Selecting the method which I will choose, my situation need soft
system method, identify the reasons for selecting, I start read the
stages and understand the way to use this kind of method.
3 days I used block 2, 3 T306 material to understand SSM more
because SSM is the method which I decide to apply .

week 7 12/4/2008-18/4/2008
Finding the tools and technique will use, start drawing the
diagrams to understand the situation (SUDA).
The whole days from that week was for drawing the diagrams

week 8 19/4/2008-25/4/2008
Working with soft system stages practically for each stage.
3 days for working with SSM applying each stage

week 9 26/4/2008-2/5/2008

Finding the ethically statement, gaps, limitation for my project
after analyze those concepts I find out if am happy with my
projects how is the time was during my work all the weeks above.
2 days to understand and read the Ethicality statement in page 118
the new concepts and finding the ethically points in my projects as I
already worked with the gaps and limitation in TMA4-5

week 10 3/5/2008-10/5/2008
Working with my project log, summarize the project, the
experience, identify the references I used, submit my TMA and
will wait the feed back from my tutor.
4 days for typing and writing the summarize and end the
project , adding references , my project was ready in 9-5 and will
show it to my tutor before submit in LMS

My project chart 2008

33


The overall summary for the last 10 weeks

During the last 10 weeks working in my project it was my first time for me to do this
kind of project it was important for me to engage with the situation so I can place myself
in relation to others in my chosen situation and that let me to identify my system of
interest , for this reasons I try to understand the most important points in my project guide
and ask my tutor about the un clear points to reduce my mistakes and gaps and to have a
good mark, the next step that I start choosing the topic for my project and discuss with
my tutor all the topics in my mind and listen to all his suggestion and advices about the
complexity I chose I was asking my self all the time if I have the enough experience and
if am strong enough to discuss this kind of complexity which is traffic congestion in
Kuwait ,and finding a new solutions and a strong new system as a system thinker, the
main points is to understand the main stakeholders that will play roles in my complex
situation and all the view points , as a system practitioner (BCEM) first being I see the
traffic congestion situation in front of me and I immerse my self as am part of it as
stakeholder , second I engaging from my experience I will see how this situation look like
to me if it is complex or messy , then I start contextualizing from my skills learning
through the experience and thinking how to deal and managing mean , last to start
managing my situation and see my performance and deal with the situation as a system
practitioner and start find a solutions and managing the complexity in my project by
learning with other stakeholders and understanding thehow discovering and
contextualizing my sustainable development and that will led me to explore the values ,
beliefs' and circumstances .

34


After that I start search through the internet and in the news papers related to my project
to understand the situation more from data to capta until I reach the information I need to
have a meaningful knowledge in that situation , So I collected three researches and I
show it to my tutor and every week I do the same , I make a survey and I took my friends
perspective and some suggestions which helped me to improve from the problem , I tried
to talk to a person working in the traffic administration but am not able to do that , I start
to collect all the information in a special folder in my personal computer with the
situation name and every one week I add the important work I did to have all the points
to make my project as a report from introduction to body and to conclude at the end ,and
I start drawing the diagrams and chose the method will use and understand all the stages
to apply to be more clearly way. All that was after discussing my tutor weekly, the
problem I face was with the conceptual model stage and with the control model diagram
my tutor helped me with that and he explain to me what to do, after I finished from doing
my project and my own recommendations, summary and the client report and I
mentioned in the SSM the ideas to support the government. so all the group of activities
that I move towards achieving the goal and to learn my self evaluation and self
knowledge because all that elements are necessary features of the juggling act performed
by me as a system practitioner I learned during my project how to distinction between
reflection before action by understanding the human design and planning in action which
takes place simultaneously with practice action the knowledge in use and practice in a
seamless hole , reflection on action to interprets action in terms of espoused theory. and
the interprets of each action , reflective becoming aware I learned what is reflective
systems practitioner and to understand the human complexity to find a solution for the
problem by understanding the differentiation between human pattern and meeting the
shadow because we have many ways of being , knowing and acting , and understanding
my own and other peoples preferred style at the end of the last block from the T306
materials I learned how to managing complexity and I hope that I introduce this learning
in my project and my situation which I used as a system of interest .

35

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