ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on systems thinking approaches, each informed by a different philosophical underpinning. Soft systems thinking, largely represented in the work of Peter Checkland, proposes the study of human activity systems, those ‘soft ill-structured problems of the real world’. A rainbow appears as a result of the action of light through water droplets suspended in air but it can only be observed from the outside and from specific angles. The traditional approaches to quality predominantly focus on its technical aspects, paying relatively little attention to the human side. The shift to a digital, data-rich or digitally enabled model may serve to increase the information available to people and thereby shift their perspective on the challenges and on their own position in the system. ‘Critical systems thinking’ has great relevance to the quality movement. Simply, critical systems thinking rejects the idea of ‘one best way’ of solving any problem.
