How to AIM for the Future of Soft Systems Thinking

So-called ‘hard’ systems methods like System Dynamics (SD) are useful for analysing complex systems where multiple factors interact with each other. However, the models used in such approaches are developed by people who decide what aspects are to be included in the understanding of the systems, what the purpose of the systems are supposed to be, and how to interpret the outcome of the SD simulation experiments, suggesting that the inclusion of a ’soft’ systems method could be beneficial. The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) has turned out to be a good interface in many ‘hard’ systems cases, although it has sometimes been experienced as too demanding or impractical, giving rise to the question of whether a simpler approach like the Appreciative Inquiry Method (AIM) would be more effective. In support of this hypothesis, six years of action research on the use of AIM within language pedagogy illustrates how periodic appreciation of a human activity system for learning Spanish has developed through cycles of reality judgements, value judgements and action judgements, although the study indicated that AIM would become increasingly more effective if assisted by SD-like evaluation principles. Using language pedagogy as an example, the paper argues the relevance of soft systems thinking and how the future of soft systems thinking depends on the widespread use of simple and effective methods like AIM.