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The use of critical systems thinking in designing a system for a university information systems support service
Author(s) -
Warren Lorraine,
Adman Peter
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
information systems journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.635
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2575
pISSN - 1350-1917
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2575.1999.00058.x
Subject(s) - operationalization , intervention (counseling) , information system , service (business) , systems thinking , knowledge management , computer science , management science , process management , engineering management , engineering , psychology , business , philosophy , epistemology , marketing , artificial intelligence , electrical engineering , psychiatry
. This paper reports the practical application of critical systems thinking (CST) to an information systems design (ISD)‐related problem. The potential benefits of using CST for ISD are explored, followed by a description of an intervention to derive a design for part of a UK university’s IS user support service. More specifically, total systems intervention (TSI) was used as a meta‐methodology to operationalize CST and to guide the course of the intervention. The intervention serves as a vehicle to gain insight into the potential value of CST to ISD‐related problems, and concludes with reflections on the actual benefits realized and suggestions for further research.