‘One per desk?’

Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is a means of applying structure to unstructured problems. By representing the problem situation as a ‘picture’; identifying key issues within the picture; and comparing this to a conceptual view of what could happen, the methodology aims to produce an agenda to highlight and tackle some of the major problem areas. This article discusses the feasibility of using this process in the workplace, in the light of a project undertaken at a large multinational. The role which the business analyst takes in such a study is highlighted, together with the ‘pros and cons’ of making the methodology workable.