Tag: difficulty

  • Mess and Difficulty – Difficulty

    Ackoff defines difficulty as: Situation is bounded – possible to identify system(s) involved. Problem(s) easily identified. Possible solutions can be identified. Timescales are limited or predictable. Limited/known number of stakeholders and groups involved. Both Hard and Soft systems have a cycle/iterative approach. Hard systems go into maintenance and back to requirements. Soft systems continually analyse…

  • Mess and Difficulty – Mess

    Ackoffs mess & difficulty useful for deciding to take hard or soft approach. Mess: Unbounded -difficult to identify boundaries, concept of boundary important in defining system. Problem(s) are unclear. No visible solutions – relates to not knowing what problem is. Many stakeholders and groups therefore many perspectives. Timescales long term.