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Criterion
Paper illustration for Soft Systems Methodology.
Systems Thinking
Soft Systems Methodology
Rich Picture workspace showing the question, observations, and next decision.
Systems Thinking
Rich Picture
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
Paper illustration for Cynefin Workshop.
Decision Making
Cynefin Workshop
Purposedifferent
Soft Systems Methodology helps explore unclear or politically charged problems systematically. Instead of forcing a quick answer, the method builds a shared understanding of perspectives and room for action.A Rich Picture brings an unclear situation onto a shared drawing. It captures actors, tensions, information flows, and blind spots before the team jumps to solutions too early.LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.When problems are unclear, chaotic, or only seemingly familiar, standard recipes fall short. A Cynefin Workshop sorts situations by the nature of their problem and connects them with matching action logic.
Complexitydifferent
HighLowMediumMedium
Timedifferent
0.5-3 Tage30-90 min3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional60-180 min
Participantsdifferent
5-152-101 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 people4-20
Formatdifferent
WorkshopWorkshopWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Rich Picture, Root Definitions, Conceptual Models, Change AgendaRich Picture, Problem Framing NotesLean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksCynefin Map, Domain-specific Actions, Sensemaking Notes
Tagsno overlap
Soft systemsComplexitySensemakingSystems thinking
Systems thinkingSoft systemsFramingVisualization
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
ComplexitySensemakingDecision
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