Abstract
This reflective article explores the use of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) Rich Pictures within the learning design. It introduces SSM as part of a broader interest in systems within education and positions SSM as part of a broader family of participatory approaches within a range of fields. Based on learning design practice with organisations looking to (re)connect with learners, the paper sets out a scenario where participants are asked to draw of a Rich Picture of the “ideal learner”, where questions of future selves and ideal forms highlight are used to highlight the non-representative nature of representative forms. It reflects on questions of power on deliberative decision-making tools like Rich Pictures and suggests ways of addressing this in practice. It argues that care needs to be taken lest the value of Rich Pictures is the visual representations made rather than the process, and suggests that practitioners should remember that the image is not the outcome.
Highlights
This short practice paper explores the use of “Rich Pictures” a tool developed by Peter Checkland as part of a broader set of what are called Soft Systems Methodologies (SSM)
It looks at Rich Pictures, a visual tool used to structure deliberative decision making developed by Checkland as part of SSM
It is important to note that Checkland never set out Rich Pictures in a definitive way as part of SSM; instead, it evolved in his work and the work of other practitioners (Bell and Morse, 2010)
Summary
This short practice paper explores the use of “Rich Pictures” a tool developed by Peter Checkland as part of a broader set of what are called Soft Systems Methodologies (SSM). In this reflective paper, SSM is set out as part of the development of a “personal theory of practice” (Jarvis, 1999). The paper starts with an overview of SSM and sets out my engagement with SSM as part of a family of approaches to participatory research and design It looks at Rich Pictures, a visual tool used to structure deliberative decision making developed by Checkland as part of SSM. The paper concludes with some further reflections and emphasises the need to interrogate the assumptions within the tools we use
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