Research Articles Base: Soft Systems Methodology

Information System Development

Student Declaration   I have read and understood NCC Education Policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.   I can confirm the following details:   Students ID/Registration number:   Name:   Centre Name: Hartford Institute   Module Name: IT – The Next Five Years   Module Leader:   Number of words:   I confirm that this is my own work and that I have not plagiariased any part of it. I have also noted the assessment criteria and pass mark for assignments.   Due Date:    ___/___/___/                     DD/MM/YY   Student Signature and Submission Date: ______________________                  ___/___/___/                                                                                                   DD/MM/YY                             Table of Contents     Cover Page…………………………………………………………………………..1 Introduction………………………………………………………………….………..3 Methods of Enquiry…………………………………………………….…………….4 The Use of Internet Technology (IT)………………………………….…………….5 Consequences Analysis and Impact of Internet Technology on Curbishley Royal Hospital……………….……………………………………….8 Key Issues in Systems Development………………………………………………10 Evaluation of the Report……………………………………………………………..15 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….16 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………17 Appendices……………………………………………………………………………18               Introduction               Technological advancement nowadays is really of great help to mankind. One of the important advancement is the Internet Technology (IT). There are many benefits that we can acquire to this; some applications that were proposed to be possible are tele – home health care and telemedicine which will be discussed in some chapters of this report. Other discussions also tackle about the limitations of Internet Technology (IT). The Methods of enquiry namely Inductive-consensual (agreement) and the Analytic-deductive (the World as a formula), also known as simple enquiry, the Multiple Reality (multiple views of problems) and the dialectic, also known as complex enquiry and the Unbounded Systems thinking also known as the innovative enquiry were defined. These methods of enquiry are of great help in developing system design approach because with these methods, we will able to easily analyze a particular problem. Another interesting topic that contained in this report is the soft systems methodology (SSM). This Systemic Enquiry or SSM is conceived by them as a learning process. It consists of stages which lead to the formulation and success in a particular system. The scenario in Curbishley Royal Hospital is one good model of SSM as discussed in the proceeding pages.         Methods of Enquiry             There are three enquiry systems namely the simple enquiry, the complex enquiry and the innovative enquiry. Under the simple enquiry is the analytic – deductive enquiry. In this method the ideas of many people to solve a particular problem are gathered and based on this, proposed an answer to that problem. But there are times that two or more ideas at the same problem may be accepted. The law of contradiction will now enter the situation wherein there may be more than one ideas will solve the problem. With this, we can state here that the possible weakness of this method is the belief that there is only one answer to a single problem. The most important factor in solving this issue is to determine whether the problem is solved resolved or dissolve. To “solve” a problem means to produce an exact solution to it. To “resolve” a problem means to find a solution that is better. To “dissolve” a problem means that the particular problem is only the effect of the real problem. Another kind of simple enquiry is inductive consensual, it is also similar to the analytic – deductive which only a single answer is required.              Under the complex enquiry is the Multiple Reality Enquiry. In this method, the same problem will be presented to two or more people and this people give different approaches to solve a problem. This method is almost the same to the simple enquiry except to the fact that they do not assume that there is only one solution to a particular problem. Take for example a student, who failed in the final examination, there are many assumptions here that we can conclude why the student failed in the exam. Another kind of complex enquiry is the Dialectic enquiry. In this method, the outcome of a particular decision is the objective solution.  The decision is based primarily to the critical evaluation of the assumptions of the debating party’s. Here, Data and observations may be interpreted in the enquiry but not as important as the subjective assumptions, models, and theories of it.             The third method of enquiry is the Unbounded Systems thinking also known as the innovative enquiry. These methods states that everything interacts with everything, Problem is a mess, and it is not capable to have rigid definition of the problem. It also believes that every one of the sciences and professions is considered fundamental; none is superior to or better than any other. It uses thinking system to analyze creatively the problem. From this definition, we may say that this type of inquiry is better than the other types of enquiry because we have a broader view of the problem and the solutions, it is not bias because it is open to all types of learning not only to hard sciences and/or its models and theories.   The Use of Internet Technology (IT) TELECOMMUNICATIONS: A COMPLEX PRESCRIPTION FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS               “In a 1990 report titled Health Care in Rural America,” the U.S. Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) identified a number of obstacles that limit access of rural residents to quality health care. These obstacles include: persistent rural poverty, the high costs of health care services, the lack of insurance among many rural residents, the shrinking pool of health care providers in rural locales, the decline in number of health care facilities, especially hospitals, the distance rural patients must travel to providers, and their lack of transportation. In a 1995 follow-up report, the OTA indicated that while “selected improvements” had been made, “the problems rural residents face in accessing health care have not changed substantially”.  (1997) enumerates three general problems confronting the health care sector, problems that differentially impact on the quality of health care available to rural residents. First, health care resources are unequally distributed within and across geographical regions. Second, there is inadequate access to health care, especially by the poor, the isolated, and the confined. Third, the ever escalating health care costs–despite efforts at cost containment–make the price of health care services prohibitive for many. These problems are compounded when, as the Government Accounting Office (GAO) recently reported, rising program expenditures in rural health clinics are not directed toward improving care in isolated areas (1999).”  Excerpt from Having All the Right Connections: Telecommunications and Rural Viability. INJECTING RURAL HEALTH CARE WITH TELEMEDICINE             ”Technological solutions, namely telemedicine, have been promised to alleviate the three most pressing health care problems identified by     (1997)–unequal distribution, limited access, and high costs. Proponents argue that telemedicine can ameliorate many of the problems that plague rural hospitals and rural health care. Telemedicine networks can achieve the “broader efficiencies and higher quality health care” that linking to an intensive medical infrastructure can afford, according to the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). Ironically, although telemedicine technologies and practices are touted as a solution to the vulnerability of rural health care systems, rural hospitals are necessary for the adoption and diffusion of telemedicine, for it is unlikely that individual practitioners or clinics have the resources and expertise required to champion the acquisition and use of telecommunications technologies in most rural areas.”  Excerpt from Having All the Right Connections: Telecommunications and Rural Viability Book             Internet Technology is really of great help in all aspects of life especially on the field of medicine. We may realized the importance of this in some rural and remote areas in the country were there are limited number of hospitals, as stated above. With telemedicine and tele – health care we will save time, effort and money. Also due to rapid technological advancement we may also predict and experience in the future innovation in internet technology. Minor operations as stated in Curbishley Royal Hospital will be possible to do even the doctor is of great distance to the patient thru application of internet and robotics technology. Tele – operations will be possible wherein the robot will do medical operations to the patient and the doctor will only used the internet to give instructions to the robot. Consequences Analysis and Impact of Internet Technology on Curbishley Royal Hospital Positive Effect Negative Effect       Low                                               Probability                                                 High             This probability effect action diagram shows both the negative and positive effect of the implementation of Internet Technology (IT) in Curbishley Hospital. The positive side which is on the upper part of the diagram shows four major favorable effect of IT. The first possible effect is increasing demand of this type of service. This is because patients in Curbishley Hospital will save time, money and effort in going there and therefore it provides convenience to them. The staff will also benefit from this type of development, because they will only answering calls from patients instead of guiding them to the hospitals. If the hospital implements tele – home health care, then the patient will only go to the hospital once and the remaining follow up check – up will be via phone and computers. This includes medical consultations, physical therapy instructions, nutritional advice, help with accessing social services, and emotional support. On the other hand, Telemedicine is also useful and more high-tech than tele home health care and it offers greater range of services like Emergency / critical cases Rehabilitation, Remote therapy, and all other services offered in tele – home health care.  The negative side of the diagram shows two possible outcomes. The first one is the project slippage, which is in the low probability side. The position of this in the diagram indicates that the probability of this project to succeed is greater than its probability to fail. This is because, for the hospital to implement Telemedicine and tele – home health care they should have multi-media rooms with high speed Internet connections, Tele-conferencing / video-conferencing phones, access to patient records, Access to diagnostic process and consultation advice. For patients home, they should have video-conferencing phone, simple equipment like Thermometer, meter measuring blood pressure, meter measuring glucose level in blood, medical assistance if necessary. Therefore, we can say that this project may succeed because these technologies exist today.  Another possible problem that the Curbishley Hospital may encounter granting that the project was successfully implemented is the issue of not accurate diagnosis of physicians and/or doctors. This is because the doctors will only interview the patients via phone and they will not monitor or check – up personally the progress of the patients. We put this in moderate impact as we can see in the diagram because according to moderate impact definition it may violate harm, or impede an organization’s mission, reputation, or interest; or may result in human injury.   Key Issues in Systems Development   The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is developed by Professor .  This type of methodology deals with “problem situations” wherein there is a high social, political and human activity component.  This separate (SSM) with other types of methodology which only focused on hard and technical sciences. There are actually 7 stages of (SSM). Stage 1 is the unstructured problem situation; stage 2 is the expression of problem situation in the form of rich pictures, etc; stage 3 focused on naming of relevant systems such as root definition and CATWOE; stage 4 refers to the conceptual models like systems thinking, formal systems model etc; stage 5 compares the conceptual model with the reality; while stages 6 and 7 refers to the implementation of the conceptual model and/or making desirable changes about the system. Initial stages of the SSM Stage 1: Problem Situation Unstructured – In (SSM) the term ‘the problem’ is inappropriate because it might narrow the outlook in the situation and therefore more appropriate to call ‘problem situation’ because there are many problems that may arise in a particular scenario. There are actually four (4) situational problems in Curbishley hospital which are perceived to be solved. The first problem is that the people living in remote areas are far from the hospital; the second one is that there are few staff; there are only twelve consultants and physicians, twenty-five specialist nurses and twenty administrative staff who work at the hospital. The third is that there is limited space in the hospital (120 beds) and also lack of modern medical equipments. Stage 2: Problem Situation Expressed – It refers to the collecting and sorting of information and provides some description of the problem situation. One example of collecting information as well as providing some description on the system is in a form of rich picture. The rich pictures are used to provide a model for thinking on possible problems that may arise and to help the analyst gain an appreciation on a problem situation. Below is an example of Rich Picture. Applying this in the scenario in Curbishley Hospital, there are many possible problems that may identify in the scenario. There are only 120 beds in the hospital which may possibly not accommodate the number of patients in the hospital. There are twelve consultants and physicians, twenty-five specialist nurses and twenty administrative staff and therefore we can conclude that there is limited manpower to serve the people. Lack of modern medical equipments as impliedly state in the scenario of the hospital due to the fact that they can only perform minor operations. On the patients point of view specially those who live in remote areas, it is a waste of time and effort going to the hospital. There are no alternative to other treatment procedure because the hospital lacks of modern medical equipments. The administration should put up branches in other location so that the patients will go to the hospital which is within the vicinity of their home. Hospital expansion and additional staff to accommodate the patients. Implementation of Internet Technology in order to facilitate the transaction of every patient and hospital staff. On the staff point of view, the administration should hire additional manpower in order to accommodate the number of patients. Also they should implement Internet Technology so that their work will become easier. Contrary to this, on the administrator’s point of view, they would predict the outcome of many possible innovations in the hospital and weigh which one is more logical to implement. They take into consideration the expenses and the effect of a particular innovation in their investment (whether or not they will benefit from that innovation by means of profit).   Stage 3: Naming of Relevant Issues – It refers to the formulation of names of relevant systems, and to write them in such a way that a model could be built based on these names. These names are called Root Definitions. The importance of this root definition is to express the main purpose of a particular activity system. CATWOE Root definitions are written as sentences. There are 6 elements that make up a completely formulated root definition as stated in the mnemonic CATWOE. C Customers The victims or beneficiaries of T A Actors Those who would do T T Transformation Process The conversion of input to output W Weltanschauung The worldview that makes this T meaningful in context O Owners Those who could stop T E Environmental constraints Elements outside the system which it takes as given   The root definitions in CATWOE may be linked and directly apply to the scenario in Curbishley Royal Hospital wherein there is a proposal of implementation of Internet Technology (IT) for convenience of both the patients and the staff. The Customers in the CATWOE mnemonic refers to the patients and staff in Curbishley Royal Hospital because these are the affected people in the implementation of IT. This IT implementation may provide much benefit on patients and staff as mentioned in the previous pages of this report. The Actors here refers to the staff and those people who make the implementation of IT possible.  By definition, actor is the one who acts or performs. And in this scenario the staff has the responsibility of any favorable or unfavorable effects on the patients of their practices. Transformation process refers to the conversation of staff and patients. The consultant output his/her technical knowledge in the form of diagnosis in interviewing the patient, and the patient will input their health problems including the sign and symptoms of their illness. Weltanschauung or world view refers to the different view of people in a scenario, as stated in the previous pages of this paper that the owner, staff and patients that involved in this innovation have different reasoning’s and opinion about the issue because the impact of innovation is different from each of them. The Owner in this case is the one that owns the hospital, or the stockholder. The owner has all the power whether or not to implement IT in the hospital. The last root definition as stated in CATWOE is the Environmental Constraints which refers to the external elements exist outside the system. This includes organizational policies as well as legal and ethical matters, as applied to Curbishley Royal this refers to hospitals policies and standard operating procedures.       Evaluation Strength and Weakness of Methods of Enquiry We can categorize the methods of enquiry into 3 branches. The first type of enquiry is simple enquiry which believes that for every problem there is only one solution. Evaluating this type of enquiry, we may say that this method uses logic or hard sciences in order to solve a problem. So if we apply simple enquiry in the case of Curbishley Royal Hospital, we might not get a favorable outcome. The second enquiry method is the complex enquiry which assumes that there is more than one solution to a problem, data and observations are interpreted in the enquiry but less important than the subjective assumptions, models, and theories. We may say that this type of enquiry is bias because it gives more importance to its models and theories rather than data and observations which is the basis of truth according to hard sciences. Applying this type of enquiry in Curbishley Hospital is better than simple enquiry because it believes that there are many solutions to a problem so our possible solutions are broader as compared to the simple enquiry. Third and last type of enquiry is the Innovative Enquiry. This type of enquiry method is better than the previous two enquiries because it believes that every one of the sciences and professions is considered fundamental; none is superior to or better than any other.  It also believes that solutions may be established by creative approach. Applying this technique in the case of Curbishley Royal Hospital is much better than the other two methods of enquiry because it also uses creative thinking approaches and is open to other suggestions and ideas.   Conclusion             The Methods of Enquiry, Soft System Methodology and Development of Internet Technology are the main topic in this essay.             The Methods of enquiry consists of 3 types and these 3 types have subtypes. Under simple enquiry is the analytic – deductive enquiry which believes that there is only one solution to a problem. Under complex enquiry is the dialectic and multiple reality enquiry, it’s perspective is almost the same as simple enquiry except that it believes that the problem may have more than one solution. The Innovative Enquiry is the best type of enquiry because it is not bias and accept all possible solutions to a problem. Also we have discussed the use of IT in hospitals like telemedicine and tele – home health care and its impact on both patients and staff. In addition to these, we perform a in – depth analysis of the scenario in Curbishley Royal Hospital by using initial stages in soft system methodology (SSM). We have discussed different situation and solution perspective as to what SSM adheres to. Discussion of its method and its formula like CATWOE, rich pictures and root definitions are presented in detailed form with the scenario of Curbishley Royal Hospital as an illustrative example.             In this essay, the researcher concludes that the methods of enquiry and SSM are of great help whenever we will encounter a problem situation. In application of its concepts, we should look at different systems perspective in order to achieve our primary purpose.                              Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Information System Development

Student Declaration I have read and understood NCC Education Policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism. I can confi...