As of autumn 2011, all schools in Sweden have adopted and applied the latest curriculum for the compulsory school system. The following is written in concern to technology: "The school is responsible for ensuring that each pupil on completing compulsory school: [...] can use modern technology as a tool in the search for knowledge, communication, creativity and learning." (Skolverket, 2011, pp.13-14) With this said, there are no guidelines or manuals on how this is to be conducted. In a report from the Swedish Schools Inspectorate it was concluded that the investment in technology is not being used for school education. The education systems keep investing in technology in the belief that schools and teachers will sooner or later adopt and benefit from the use of mobile and ubiquitous technologies. The aim of this study is to “create an understanding of the aspects that have an impact on adopting novel use of mobile and ubiquitous technologies in everyday teaching and learning practices in compulsory schools.” The empirical foundation will be based upon three projects: Geometry Mobile (GeM); Learning Ecology with Technologies from Science for Global Outcomes (LETS GO); and Collaborative Learning Using Digital Pens and Interactive Whiteboards (Collboard). All were conducted at local compulsory schools in Växjö municipality, Sweden, in collaboration with teachers, students and fellow researchers from the CeLeKT research group at Linnaeus University. Two Thematic Analyses have been conducted: the first, an inductive analysis exploring the Students’ and Teachers’ Experience of using Mobile and Ubiquitous Technologies in their learning and teaching environment. The second analysis is deductive and uses themes from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology models with the aim of understanding the Perception and Acceptance of Teachers’ use of Mobile and Ubiquitous Technologies. In the results from the two analyses there are clear indicators on the added value that mobile and ubiquitous technology brings to the classrooms: students are able to actively participate, collaborate and discuss in different learning settings, which enhances their understanding of the subject at hand. The challenges are mainly to be found in the lack of training and education in use of the technology as a supporting tool for teaching and learning. Further factors influencing the teachers and the students are ease of use and reliability of the technology and societal changes. The results of the analysis and the theoretical base of Technology Enhanced Learning have been illustrated with Soft Systems Methodologies Rich Picture, providing a holistic view of the problematic situation and making it possible to discuss the various parts as well as the situation as a whole. This study indicates that there are several factors influencing the adoption of the novel use of mobile and ubiquitous technologies in everyday teaching and learning within a complex situation on different levels.

Perçu comme un système adaptatif complexe, l’espace public pourrait être examiné par le biais de la complexité. Dans cette thèse, nous discutons du cas d'un parc urbain, Horch Beyrouth, visant à mettre en valeur les apports épistémologiques et méthodologiques de l'approche de la complexité dans les études urbaines. Malgré que Horch Beyrouth représente jusqu'à 70% des espaces verts de Beyrouth, il a été en grande partie fermé au public depuis la fin de la guerre civile libanaise en 1990. Entouré de trois quartiers culturellement hétérogènes, le parc triangulaire incarne à la fois la multiplicité et l'exclusion urbaine. L’approche de la complexité offre non seulement un lexique scientifique transdisciplinaire, mais également des outils de modélisation interdisciplinaires. Pour illustrer ces outils, nous avons utilisé la triangulation systémique pour le diagnostic urbain de Horch Beyrouth. Il s’agit d’un outil qui reconnaît l’inscription des problèmes complexes dans des continuums structurels, fonctionnels et dynamiques, établissant des relations entre eux et projetant des interactions entre le système et son environnement. Nous avons également présenté l'outil de la méthodologie des systèmes souples pour une gouvernance interactive basée sur des représentations non linéaires de la réalité urbaine. Cette approche nous a fourni de nouvelles idées. Premièrement, aborder les villes, ainsi que les entités urbaines comme Horch Beyrouth, en tant que systèmes complexes, pourrait diverger notre perception des solutions linéaires fragmentées vers des processus évolutifs adaptifs. Deuxièmement, le chaos n’est pas à craindre. En fait, en se situant au bord du chaos les systèmes complexes s’adaptent et co-évoluent, ainsi la créativité se catalyse et le changement émerge. Enfin et surtout, un espace public ne doit pas être conçu, mais encouragé à émerger. Il serait donc préférable d’induire son auto-organisation que d'essayer de la contrôler. Ainsi, un changement d'attitude est nécessaire : le rôle des acteurs urbains, architectes et urbanistes, devrait se réorienter pour rechercher la dynamique sous-jacente d’un système urbain, établir ses propriétés émergentes, pour ultérieurement, déterminer et induire ses opportunités synergiques. / Perceived as a complex adaptive system, public space could be examined through the means of complexity. In this thesis, we discuss the case of an urban park, Horch Beirut, aiming to showcase the contributions of the complexity approach to urban studies, both epistemological and methodological ones. Horsh Beirut makes up to 70% of green spaces in Beirut, but has been mostly closed to the public since the end of the Lebanese civil war in 1990. Surrounded by three culturally heterogeneous neighborhoods, the triangular park embodies both urban multiplicity and exclusion. The complexity approach not only offers a transdiciplinary scientific lexicon but also interdisciplinary modeling tools. To showcase these tools, we apply Systemic Triangulation for the urban diagnosis of Horch Beirut. This tool acknowledges the inscription of complex problems in structural, functional and dynamic continuums, establishing the relationships between them, and projecting interactions between the system and its environment. We also propose the Soft Systems Methodology tool for an interactive governance based on non-linear representations of urban reality. The complexity approach has provided us some new insights. First, addressing cities, and urban entities like Horsh Beirut, as complex systems could diverge our perception of fragmented linear solutions towards adaptive evolutionary processes. Secondly, chaos is not to be feared. In fact, by being on the edge of chaos complex systems adapt and co-evolve, consequently creativity is catalyzed and change emerges. Finally, and most importantly, a public space should not be designed, but encouraged to emerge. It would be better to induce its self-organization than to try to control it. Thus, a change of attitude is necessary: the role of urban actors, architects and urban planners, should be reoriented towards seeking the underlying dynamics of an urban system, establishing its emerging properties, and subsequently, determining and inducing its synergistic opportunities.

This study explores stakeholder analysis and requirements engineering within an agile project at a system development company requesting a case management system. Stakeholder analysis is commonly explored in traditional project planning studies, such as the waterfall model. In agile projects, on the other hand, it is not common to have a project-planning phase or to carry out a stakeholder analysis, often due to that a stakeholder analysis entail a long and extensive documentation. Our study explores how Soft Systems Methodology can be used in an agile project-planning phase as well as how rich pictures from the SSM support requirements engineering. The study is based on an agile method in which the project-planning phase is expected to deliver a product log, and hence a requirements list. Requirements are collected, modelled and validated together with users in the form of user stories where role, goals and purpose are expressed in a sentence. Stakeholders and roles are identified and analyzed using methods in Soft Systems Methodology, like "finding-out" analyses. The result is then presented in so called rich pictures of the current situation and in a future desired situation. The data collection is carried out together with informants at the case company in the form of observations and semi-structured interviews. The result of the study indicates how rich pictures from SSM can support the start-up of an agile project. / Denna studie utforskar intressentanalys och kravinsamling inom ett agilt projekt på ett systemutvecklingsföretag som efterfrågar ett ärendehanteringssystem. Intressentanalyser är vanligt förekommande och utforskade i traditionella förstudier så som enligt vattenfallsmodellen. I agila projekt är det däremot vanligt att en förstudie inte utförs eller att förstudien inte innehåller en intressentanalys, ofta på grund av att intressentanalyser innebär lång och omfattande dokumentation. Vår studie utforskar hur Soft Systems Methodology kan användas i en agil förstudie samt hur rika bilder från SSM stöttar kravhantering. Studien utgår från an agil metod där förstudien förväntas leverera en produktlogg, där studiens fysiska bidrag blir en kravlista. Krav samlas in, modelleras samt valideras tillsammans med användare i formen av användarhistorier där roll, mål och syfte uttrycks i en mening. Intressenter och roller identifieras och analyseras med hjälp av metoder inom Soft Systems Methodology, som exempelvis ”finding out”-analys. Resultatet presenteras därefter i så kallade rika bilder över nuvarande situation samt i en framtida önskad situation. Datainsamlingen görs tillsammans med informanter på ett fallföretag i form av observationer och semistrukturerade intervjuer. Utfallet av studien visar hur den rika bilden från SSM kan stödja uppstarten av ett agilt projekt.

The purpose of this three-essay dissertation was to expand knowledge and theory regarding soft systems methodologies (SSMs) and data visualization approaches in business, engineering, and other social sciences. The first essay depicts a bibliometric analysis study of the historic impacts of SSM from 1980-2018 on business, engineering, and other social sciences fields. This study found 285 articles that described or employed SSM for research and included outcomes such as top SSM authors, author citation impacts, common dissemination outlets, time-bound distribution of publications, and other relevant findings. This study provided a picture of who, what, why, when, and where SSM has had the greatest impact on academic thought and practice. The second essay presents research on the academic impact of Systemigrams, an associated data visualization approach, finding examples of conceptual or research development that employed Systemigrams to depict complex problem situations. Recommendations for improvement of designing these data visualizations to increase their field use resulted from this study. The final essay leverages a selection of the articles as use cases to produce a grounded theory study to identify phenomena that arose from the use of SSM for operations and firm strategy research. This study identified two broad themes including (i) scope, structure, and process challenges and (ii) performance and evaluation limitations. These themes were explained by six patterns that emerged from the publications. Each produced change recommendations for SSM process, practice, and reporting to support its continued viability and adoption in business and operations research.

The key objective of this multi-disciplinary research was to seek for feasible solutions to avoid effluent from livestock trucks spilling onto roads. Stock effluent spillage mainly poses road safety hazards and environmental damage, and also causes offence to road users and tourists. This task required reviewing previous institutional actions, assessing the power of the existing legislation, and evaluating the interests and attitudes of the stakeholder groups involved in the overall livestock supply chain. It was also necessary to consider politics, administration, public policy and economics, gaining the willing cooperation and confidence of the stakeholder groups through application of 'Soft Systems Methodology' (SSM). A key component was the creation of a 13 minute video and its associated brochure as a primary tool for a stakeholder educational awareness programme. It was necessary to analyse the complex relationships between livestock preparation prior to transport; effluent produced in-transit; and end product quality factors. Detailed information pertaining to the nature of livestock shipments by truck in the South Island of New Zealand had to be collected and verified. All the above information were fed into the calculation of an ideal network of in-transit effluent discharge sites on State Highways in the South Island of New Zealand. Assuming the adoption of best practice throughout the supply chain, it was possible to recommend sustainable solutions. The problem is amenable to solution. Adoption of a strong Industry Code of Practice, coupled with the construction of a strategic network of dump sites will enable the industry to avoid the heavy-handed legal consequences of allowing the status quo to continue.

Submitted by Efrem Maranhão Filho (efremfilho@gmail.com) on 2013-03-08T18:52:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 teseDoutoradoEfrem.pdf: 4695587 bytes, checksum: 70cbab7e35da687c5b0830b63dcd7115 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vera Lúcia Mourão (vera.mourao@fgv.br) on 2013-03-08T19:45:46Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 teseDoutoradoEfrem.pdf: 4695587 bytes, checksum: 70cbab7e35da687c5b0830b63dcd7115 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-03-08T19:46:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 teseDoutoradoEfrem.pdf: 4695587 bytes, checksum: 70cbab7e35da687c5b0830b63dcd7115 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-07 / Multidisciplinary in decision-making undergoes the same specificities of any multidisciplinary field. Very often, the lack of communication generates problems and some different approaches can be found in other areas of expertise. The Problem Structuring Methods offers answers for current queries in business administration schools, being particularly useful when used in a multimethodological approach with others current methods. Having the Soft Systems Methodology – SSM – as the core, and the merged with Strategic Options Development and Analysis in the process, Georgiou (2012) presents the Systemic Planning in the latest configuration. Aiming to seek a computational tool that meets the assumptions of the SSM, and which incorporates the specifications of the configuration of Systemic Planning, here are defined a Notation for the method and a formalization of the existing communications between the elements, subsystems, system and environment and thus find a possible way of control the use of the method in a iteratively mode. In order to demonstrate such use of the Systemic Planning, A real case analysis is presented and shows the difficulties encountered in using the Notation defined and the Formalization of the communication. Subsequently, a design of a modular computational tool, and which can be used integrated with other tools of other methods, is presented. The contribution achieved are advances in the patterns in the use of SSM tools, presented the systemic aspects of the Systemic Planning, a demonstration of the iterative use and a blueprint for a computer tool. / A multidisciplinaridade da tomada de decisão sofre com as peculiaridades de qualquer campo multidisciplinar. A falta de comunicação, muitas vezes, gera problemas e as respostas que podem ser encontradas dentro de outras áreas. Os Métodos de Estruturação de Problemas são respostas para os questionamentos atuais nas escolas de administração e negócios, principalmente o uso multimetodológico destes com outros métodos. Tendo o Soft Systems Metholodogy – SSM – como base, e a incorporação do Strategic Options Development and Analysis – SODA – ao processo do SSM, Georgiou (2012) apresenta o Planejamento Sistêmico em sua configuração mais recente. Visando buscar uma ferramenta computacional que atenda os pressupostos do SSM, e que incorpore as especificações da configuração do Planejamento Sistêmico, definem-se uma notação para o método e uma formalização das para as comunicações existentes entre os elementos, subsistemas, sistema e ambiente e, com isso, torna-se possível controlar o uso do método de forma iterativa. Para demonstrar tal uso, apresenta-se uma análise de um caso real e demonstra as dificuldades encontradas na utilização da Notação e Comunicação definida. Posteriormente, apresenta-se um desenho técnico de uma ferramenta computacional modular e que pode ser usada de forma integrada com outras ferramentas de outros métodos. Como resultado, têm-se o avanço na definição de padrões no uso das ferramentas do SSM, na apresentação dos aspectos sistêmicos do Planejamento Sistêmico, na apresentação de um uso iterativo do método e na apresentação de um desenho técnico para uma ferramenta computacional.

The World Wide Web provides a well standing environment in any kind of organizations for exposing online products and services. However, no one ensures that web products or services which provided by organizations or enterprises, would receive the proper visibility and accessibility by the internet users. The process of Search Engine Optimization examines usability in design, architecture and content that an internet-based system has, for improving its visibility and accessibility in the web. Successful SEO process in an internet-based system, which is set under the paternity of an organization, ensures higher recognition, visibility and accessibility for the web services that the system provides to internet users. The aim of this study characterized with a trinity of axes. In the first axe, an internet-based system and the web services that provides is examined in order to understand its initial situation regarding its visibility and accessibility in the web. In the second axe, the study follows a user-centric approach on how and in what way the examined system could be improved based on its users’ needs and desires. After the encapsulation of needs and desires that the users expressed as regards the usability of the system in design, architecture and content, the third axe takes place. In the third axe, the extracted needs and desires of users are implemented in the under-examined system, in order to understand if its visibility and accessibility has improved in the World Wide Web.For the completion of this trinity of axes, the Soft Systems Methodology approach is adopted. SSM is an action-oriented process of inquiry which deals with a problematic situation from the Finding Out about the situation through the Taking Action to improve it. Following an interpretative research approach, ten semi-structured interviews take place in order to capture all the participants’ perceptions and different worldviews regarding of what are the changes that they need and desire from the examined system. Moreover, in this study, the conduction of three Workshops, constitute a cornerstone for implementing systemically desirable and culturally feasible changes where all participants can live with, in order to improve system’s visibility and accessibility in the internet world. The results indicate that the adoption of participants’ needs and desires, improved the levels of usability, visibility and accessibility of the under examined internet-based system. Overall, this study firstly contributes to expand the knowledge as regards the process of improving the visibility and accessibility of internet-based systems and their web services in the internet world, based on a user-centric approach. Secondly, this study works as a practical toolbox for any kind of organization which intends to improve the visibility and accessibility of its current or potential web services in the World Wide Web.

Learning Management Systems (LMSs), in a blended learning educational environment, support face to face education and enable enhanced communication and interaction among instructors and students as well as among students. However, Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL), which improves the learning process, does not come without challenges. The aim of this research is double fold. Firstly, it aims to explore users’ –instructors and students- perceptions on how the LMS Open eClass, in TEI of Athens Greece, supports and facilitates their communication and interaction. Secondly, based on users’ needs and desires, the study aims to formulate suggestions for improving communication and interaction through the platform. The study adopts an interpretivist stance and is built upon an inductive qualitative approach. Firstly, users’ perceptions are solicited through semi-structured interviews and the collected data are analyzed through the thematic analysis method. Subsequently, the study adopts Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to capture the complexity of the situation, derived from the different worldviews of instructors and students in their association with Open eClass and emerge suggestions for improvements. The results indicate that Open eClass is used to facilitate instructors convey material and information to students, while neither meaningful communication and interaction nor collaboration is performed adequately through the platform. However, the users have expressed a positive disposition towards utilizing these capabilities of the platform, as they recognize their fundamental importance to learning, especially during an economic crisis which constraints the physical presence of many students in classes. Therefore, the study proposes three, accommodating to all, systemically desirable and culturally feasible changes that could improve the situation, mainly based on pedagogy. Overall, this research contributes to existing knowledge about the usage of LMS regarding interaction and communication in a blended learning environment by providing a holistic view on users’ perceptions and identifying changes capable to bring about improvements.

The Master thesis focuses on the application of Information Systems in the field of Library and Information Science.  Within the context of organizational learning, a collaborative user-centered approach is used to produce desired system characteristics and future research suggestions. More specifically, this research study explores the library users’ and academic librarians’ perceptions of the current library discovery and access services as mediated through the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) of the Academic Library of the School of Philosophy at Athens University in Greece. Additionally, it explores their desired characteristics for the ‘public facing’ Integrated Library System (ILS), of which the OPAC constitutes a module, in order to generate recommendations that guide the Academic Library staff members’ collaborative design of a more user-centered library information system. The study is built upon the systems thinking framework of Checkland’s Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). Applied theories and design processes guide research processes aimed at advancing both inclusive social learning and system improvements.

This study has been conducted on behalf of Vectura Consulting AB with the purpose to examine how different actors perceive the dimensions of sustainability and sustainable construction. The purpose is also to provide an understanding of existing barriers and opportunities for sustainable construction within the industry and exemplify with different directions for the actors in order to develop sustainability. The study has approach the research problem by using systems theory, developed by Checkland, to identify the relevant system. Other systems theories has been used as an theoretical framework in order to identify barriers and opportunities, which in this study are based on Hughes’s theory about reverse salients and salients. Interviews with a selection of different actors in the industry and prior research have in this study served as empirics and the perspective of the systems theory defines the necessary tools to be used. The study shows that no consistency prevails regarding the definition of sustainability among the actors. Although, the environmental aspect of sustainability is prioritized by a majority of the actors oppose to social and economic aspects. Furthermore, for some of the actors economy is governing while for others it is decisive. Sustainable construction is characterized by a long-term parallel process with incentives such as branding, recruiting, and optimized operations. Moreover, the study indicates a willingness among the actors to define the concept of sustainability in order to achieve an industry wide definition. Such a definition would be of benefit for simplifying procurement and developing sustainable construction. The study identified two barriers and two opportunities. The actors agrees on that the procurement regulations of the Swedish infrastructure authority “Trafikverket” in combination with contracts defined by multiple products, and the objectives of Trafikverket,  are the two main barriers for holding back the development of sustainability in the industry. However, Trafikverket’s goal to increase the number of contracts based on function is seen as an opportunity as it enables creativity and innovation and a possible side effect of sustainable development. In addition, side bids from different actors are considered as a driver that will accelerate Trafikverket’s work regarding sustainability and especially sustainable construction. Finally, the authors give examples of directions for the industry to enhance sustainable construction and by doing so the authors connect vision with practice.