The document discusses different approaches to systems thinking - hard, soft, and dialectic. It uses the example of developing a software system for a chain of auto body shops called Accent. Hard systems thinking assumes the requirements can be defined through analysis, while soft thinking considers additional political and cultural factors but lacks rigor. Dialectic thinking acknowledges conflicting interests between stakeholders that prevent consensus. The discussion warns that the system developer should consult both management and individual shop owners to understand their differing perspectives and balance their needs to successfully implement the system.

1. Thinking
How do we think about
systems?
Apply to a hypothetical
situation.
Are the authors
running for office?

2. Systems Approaches
 Hard Systems Thinking.
 Soft Systems Thinking.
 Dialectic Systems Thinking.
How do we think of the system
we are developing?

3. Hard Systems Thinking
 The world is made up of systems (mechanistic
idea?)
 Described with formal notations
 Understood with rational analysis
 We can model everything we need to know
about about our system through
requirements.
 OO, UML

4. “What to us is terrorism,
they see as a fight for
freedom. What we know is
simply a communication
problem, they say is a
power struggle.

5. Lets Develop a System!!!
There is a company "Accent” that is a chain of bodyshops. Accent is a
franchise (meaning that each of its individual bodyshops is privately
owned). Accent is responsible for setting the prices, defining which
equipment to use, what forms to use, how to processor orders, etc..
However, each of the private owners is responsible for the day-to-day
operation of the body shop, and for its profitability.
All current orders and payments are done through "paperwork." You
have been hired by Accent Automotive to head a project to
"computerise" this process by creating a software system that can be
used by the bodyshops.
How do you develop this system? What factors do you take into
account? How do you choose the components of your system? Who
do you consult as to the requirements of the system?

6. Accent with Hard Systems Thinking
 Accent management knows what is needed.
 They will specify the requirements and the
necessary components for the system.
 You will never interact with the individual
bodyshop owners.

7. Worst Case Scenario I
 The system is implemented but never used.
 Individual owners can’t do their special
processing.

8. Limitations of hard systems thinking
 Assumes consensus (one set of requirements
is possible)
 Does not give weight to un-quantifiable
variables (e.g. politics, aesthetics, culture)
 Assumes decision makers have the power to
implement solutions

9. Soft Systems Thinking
 Its too impractical to model the world as a
system.
 We cannot practically model everything we
need to know through requirements.
 We need take some factors separately into
account:
– Lack of consensus
– politics, aesthetics, culture

10. “Sure enough, we know
that there are all kinds of
crazy strangers, but it
generally comes as a
surprise when people at
our own workplace turn out
to be pacifists, Buddhists,
vegetarians, or even
Catholics.”

11. Accent with Soft Systems Thinking
 Talk to individual owners.
 Understand the situation and foresee
problems.
 Discuss these with management.

12. Limitations Of Soft System Thinking
 Lack of scientific rigour
 Assumes consensus can be achieved
 May be too impractical

13. “Dialectic thinking has
been mainly used by
Marxists in a way that has
often made people wonder
and shake their heads.”

14. Worst Case Scenario II
 The system is never actually implemented
because the individual owners do not wish to
pay for its implementation (i.e. each shop
needs a new computer, printer).

15. What’s the problem?
 You assumed that the interests of the Accent
and of the private owners were identical!
 You should have considered the trade-off
between designing the best system and ease
of implementation.

16. Dialectic System Thinking
 Consensus cannot be reached as there are
contradicting interests
 Like soft systems thinking, but emphasising
competing interests/contradictions.
 The world is a struggle in which consensus is
not achievable
 Use contradictions to gain new understandings

17. Just Listen

18. What Can We Take Away From
This Chapter?
 Appreciate approaches other than ours.
 Be more thorough system developers