Branch Forum ACS WA

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Branch Forum ACS WA

• How to solve very difficult organisational
  problems
• Bob Cross FACS

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Agenda

• Everyday problem solving
• Participation
• Methodology
• Usage
• Questions

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Everyday problem solving

• Use modelling techniques
• Put down all you know
• Morphology / matrix
• What would ?? do / ask a stranger
• Brainstorming

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Participation

• Group knowing
• Ideas ? better ideas
• Ownership
• Equitable

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System of Systems MethodologyFlood Jackson
(1991)
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Methodology

• Background
• Rigid v contingent
• Incremental
• CPM Contingent Participative Methodology

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Realise problematic issues

• Fishbone Diagram (after Flood, 1995, Figure
  9.3).

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• A RICH PICTURE is a highly contextual,
  cartoon-like representation of
• issues
• problems
• processes
• actors
• relationships (internal external)
• conflicts
• other interesting features

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Rich Pictures
People
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• Rich Picture
• (Flood Carson, 1988)

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Comprehend stakeholder issues

• Customers the victims or beneficiaries of T
• Actors those who would do T
• Transformation conversion (input to output)
• Weltanschauung the world view which makes
  T meaningful in context
• Owners those who could stop T
• Environmental outside elements
• Checkland and Scholes (1990)

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Comprehend stakeholder issues

• Customers native title claimants, interested
  parties, registrar, President of NNTT, Australian
  government and Australian people
• Actors NNTT employees/managers, native title
  claimants, interested parties, government
  agencies (DOLA, etc), legal representation, media
• Owners Australian government, legal system,
  Australian people

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Comprehend stakeholder issues

• Transformation Mediate from claim and background
  information to facilitate parties reaching a
  negotiated settlement, thus avoiding an expensive
  court appearance
• Weltanschauung Claimants demand equity. Failure
  leads to protracted court cases. Public demand
  efficiency
• Environment Legal system resulting from the
  Racial Discrimination Act, the Mabo decision and
  the NTA, resource constraints, mixed public
  opinion, economic interests of interested
  parties, changing expectations of government

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Realise issues for solution

• Use Rich Picture

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Knowledge needs
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Knowledge needs
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• Linked list

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Workflow threads
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Action plan
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Reflection
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System of Systems MethodologyFlood Jackson
(1991)
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Example

• MIS Depts most difficult problem
• Management of project knowledge
• Every level of organisation
• Divided opinions
• Stalled for 13 months
• Two 2-hour participative workshops

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Usage

• Messy ill-structured problems
• Strategic direction
• Lead into JAD/RAD workshop
• Lead in for different perspectives

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References

• Checkland, P. B. Scholes, J. (1990). Soft
  Systems Methodology in action. Chichester, UK
  John Wiley Sons Ltd.
• Flood, R. L. (1995). Solving problem solving.
  Chichester, UK John Wiley Sons Ltd.
• Flood, R. L. Carson, E. R. (1988). Dealing with
  complexity An introduction to the theory and
  application of systems science. New York Plenum
  Press.
• Flood, R. L. Jackson, M. C. (1991). Creative
  problem solving Total Systems Intervention. New
  York John Wiley, Inc.

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Questions

• Bob Cross
• White knight
• Business Consulting
• 0417 926 551
• bobcross_at_iinet.net.au