1. Unit 10: The Rich Pictures Technique
CSEM04: Risk and Opportunities of Systems Change in Organisations
Prof. Helen M Edwards &
Dr Lynne Humphries
(This is based on the handout by Jeremy Rose, BIT, Manchester Metropolitan University)

2. Overview SSM (Soft Systems Methodology)
Rich Pictures and How to Construct Them.
Rich Picture Examples
What follows is for interest
Root Definitions
Format of Root Definitions
What Does it Mean?
CATWOE Analysis
Anything else?

3. SSM (Soft Systems Methodology)
SSM “systems thinking” approach
SSM has seven steps
In step 2: “problem situation expressed”rich pictures are used.

4. Rich Picture of Constucting a Rich Picture
is animation with explanation from the Open University
From the “Systems Thinking and Practice: Diagramming” unit.

5. Rich Pictures
In reviewing a situation or examining a system the first task is to
'express' the problem situation i.e. to form a rich picture.
Rich picture = 'thorough, but non-judgmental understanding’.
N.B. Different rich pictures can be draw for the same system/situation by different stakeholders.

6. Rich Pictures Usually free form diagrams or “cartoons”
Pictures provide an excellent way of sorting out and prioritising complex problem areas.
Pictures display relationships
the way business functions work together.
They may include elements of
structure (e.g. the departments of a university)
process (e.g. studying, examining),
issues, concerns, or developments (e.g. implementing a quality service).

7. How to Construct Them?
They show what is considered important in the situation. But there are no rules:
Matchstick men and women are common,
sometimes bubbles coming out of their mouths indicate important issues,
crossed swords for conflict,
eyeballs indicate something being overlooked, inspected or supervised

8. Example Icons The idea is simply to get something on paper
often working with others
even where they have different, even conflicting, ideas.

9. Rich Picture Example
Here is an example of a rich picture: what does it tell you?
Can you see any risks here?
Can you see any opportunities?
The picture shows
a university student accommodation problem situation:
at its centre is the accommodation office
overwhelmed with paperwork
computerisation may be the answer.
The university has an advantage over rivals by guaranteeing beds to students,
but numbers are rising.
Lines round parts of the picture show possible systems to be considered
the accommodation office system is part of a wider university system.
Different types of leases are shown
Plus the perception of students and landlords of each other.
Taken together, the various components of the picture express those elements of the situation which the analyst considers of particular importance.
source: Lewis, P.J. (1992)
Rich Picture building in the SSM,
European Journal of Information Systems

10. Example: Text
The Secretary of a growing Professional Association believed many of its operations could be computerised:
including membership, examination, and tuition administration.
Before commissioning any new systems she wanted:
an overview of where potential benefits would be found
and what problems might exist.
A consultancy reviewed the organisation and created an initial rich picture of the situation.
(from Avison,D. and Fitzgerald,G (1995) IS Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools. 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill,, McGraw-Hill)

11. Rich Picture
Shows:
conflict between the secretary and the education secretary about the how and what to computerise
Worries of the education assistant about the thought of automation
should alert to the potential for poor usage and user resistance, therefore also the need for training and support.
Any notation can be used for a rich picture - they are often cartoon like. But certain symbols have meaning:
- crossed swords: problems/conflicts (often potential risk areas)
- think bubble: major concerns
- eye: external interested parties,
- arrows: relationships.
This picture demonstrates at a fairly high level some personnel type risks, for instance:
conflict between the secretary and the education secretary about the how and what to computerise
Large number of centres and students show the problem of dealing with the exam
Worries of the education assistant (at the interface with the professional members and students) about the thought of automation - should alert to the risk of poor usage, resistance, also need for training and support.
(in addition later investigation and refinement of the picture revealed conflict between the secretary and the committee she served (not shown on this picture).

12. This is as far as you need to go
What follows is for completeness and interest.

13. Root Definitions Root definitions follow rich pictures.
A root definition is
a short textual definition of the aims and means of the system to be modelled.
It is not the real world that is being modelled, but potential or 'virtual' systems that are logical and coherent

14. Format of Root Definitions
A system to do X, by (means of) Y, in order to Z
telling us
what the system will do,
how it is to be done, and
why it is being done (its long term aims).

15. What Does it Mean? A university owned and operated system
to award degrees and diplomas to suitably qualified candidates (X),
by means of suitable assessment (Y), (in conformance with national standards),
in order to demonstrate the capabilities of candidates to potential employers (Z).
This is not everything a university does
The root definition is talking about one part of a much wider system
Opinions may differ as to the validity of various parts of the statement.

16. What Does it Mean? To reiterate:
This is not everything a university does
The root definition is talking about one part of a much wider system
Opinions may differ as to the validity of various parts of the statement.
But the root definition it is not supposed to be a description of what assessment actually does in the university,
It is expected to be a well-defined concept so that we can consider it analytically:
'if this is what assessment is supposed to be,
how would we go about doing it?'

17. CATWOE Analysis
Rich pictures and basic root definitions are supplemented by CATWOE analysis.
To build coherent and comprehensive root definitions.
CATWOE analysis for the assessment system results in:

18. Anything else? There is a lot more to SSM than this
but for the purposes of this module we go no further.
Rich pictures and their accompanying root definitions and CATWOE analysis provide a mechanism for
mapping out a problem situation,
identifying conflicts, issues, risks and opportunities
clarifying the central focus of the system and
providing some clear structured way of expressing the elements within the system (CATWOE analysis).

19. References
Avison,D. and Fitzgerald,G (1995) IS Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools. 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, McGraw-Hill
Checkland, P., and Scholes, J. (1990) Soft Systems Methodology in Action, Wiley
Lewis, P.J.(1992) Rich Picture Building. European Journal of Information Systems, Vol 1, No. 5
Open University (ud) Systems Thinking and Practice: Diagramming
“Talked through” exaplanation (with example of the energy debate).
Patching, D. (1990) Practical Soft Systems Analysis. FT Prentice Hall, London.
Rose, J (ud) Soft Systems Methodology, Department of BIT, the Manchester Metropolitan University.
Available from