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Conceptual model building is accepted as a key phase in Soft Systems Methodology. Despite the recognition of the importance of the SSM, students are still experiencing difficulty with the basic process of conceptual model building. This book addresses that issue.
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Soft Systems Methodology Conceptual Model Building and its Contribution Brian Wilson B WA ( consul ta n t s) L td . JOH N WILEY & SON S, LTD C h ic h ester f N ew Yo rk f We in h e im f B risba n e f Sin ga p o re f To ro n to Soft Systems Methodology Soft Systems Methodology Conceptual Model Building and its Contribution Brian Wilson B WA ( consul ta n t s) L td . JOH N WILEY & SON S, LTD C h ic h ester f N ew Yo rk f We in h e im f B risba n e f Sin ga p o re f To ro n to Copyright © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Baffins Lane, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1UD, UK National 01243 779777 International (‡ 44) 1243 779777 e-mail (for orders and customer service enquiries): cs-books @ w iley.co.uk Visit our Home Page on http://w w w .w iley.co.uk or http://w w w .w iley.com A ll R ights R eserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents A ct 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing A gency, 90 Tottenham Court R oad, London, UK W1P 9HE, w ithout the permission in w riting of the publisher. Other Wiley Editorial Offices John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 605 Third A venue, New Y ork, NY 10158-0012, USA Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Pappelallee 3, D-69469 Weinheim, Germany John Wiley & Sons (Australia) Ltd, 33 Park Road, Milton, Queensland 4064, A ustralia John Wiley & Sons (A sia) Pte Ltd, 2 Clementi Loop # 02-01, Jin X ing Distripark, Singapore 129809 John Wiley & Sons (Canada) Ltd, 22 Worcester R oad, R exdale, Ontario M9W 1L1, Canada British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 0-471-89489-3 Typeset in 10/12pt Bembo by C.K.M. Typesetting, Salisbury, Wiltshire Printed and bound in Great Britain by A ntony R ow e Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire This book is printed on acid-free paper responsibly manufactured from sustainable forestry, in w hich at least tw o trees are planted for each one used for paper production. To S y lvia Contents Fore word by Mike Duffy ix Preface xi Preamble xiii 1. Models and Methodology 2. Basic Principles of HAS Modelling 11 3. Selection of Relevant Systems 35 4. Business Process Re-engineering 59 5. The Consensus Primary Task Model 73 6. CPTM—Formulation Us ing Wider-system Extraction 91 7. CPTM—A ssembly Using the Enterprise Model 111 8. A pplication to Training Strategy and HR 141 9. Generic Model Building 165 Conclusions 187 10. 1 Appendix 1. The Albion Case 193 Appendix 2. Exercises 219 Appendix 3. The Development of the United Kingdom’s Single Army A ctivity Model and Associated Information Needs and its Relationship to Command and Control 223 Appendix 4. A n Overview of Soft Systems Methodology 245 Appendix 5. Example of A pplying Information Analysis Method to Airspace Control Function 249 Appendix 6. Examples of Product to Information Category Mapping