Complete thesis - Murdoch University

to develop software is to build a MACHINE, simply by describing it. ... Theproblem is in the application domain. The machine is the solution.(Jackson, 1995, p 1)Application of the (scientific) principles of separation of concerns, abstraction and modularisationis essential, as they enable the Software Engineer to evaluate notations and methodologies,etc and apply as appropriate (Ghezzi et al, 1991).2.2.2 The non-positivist perspectiveWithin the IS specialisation, the dominant underlying influence is that of Simon. His view ofmanagement is that its nature is that of problem solving through decision making, and thathuman behaviour, individual and corporate is goal seeking. The decision maker, with the aimof making “good enough” decisions, moves towards a goal which may be adjusted as a resultof such decisions. This satisficing is part of problem solving (Simon, 1960). Objective causeeffectrelationships can therefore be partially discovered by structured observation (Walsham,1993).Simon’s approach dominates the ‘hard’ view of non-positivist systems development and is seento shape the functional approach. The socio-technical school (as exemplified by Mumford(1983)’s ETHICS approach) argues that a technological system cannot be separated fromthe social system in which it is based. Potential users therefore become the designers of thesystem for their use.As an important example of an non-positivist approach, Checkland sees a system as a set ofactivities linked together so that the whole, as an entity, can pursue a purpose. Building andnaming models of such systems requires a declaration of the worldview (Weltanschauung)which makes a particular model meaningful – the set of values, outlook – a given-as-takenimage of the world. They are not seen as descriptions of reality, but rather concepts relevantto the exploration of what is perceived as reality. The models are used to both give structureto debate about the problem situation and to learn a way to possible changes which aredesirable and feasible. This requires accommodation between conflicting interests.Checkland asserts that, in the area of system development, what is difficult is that thereis no taken-as-given structure-with-content: all aspects are problematic, with a need firstto establish a Weltanschauung within practitioners and researchers, who expound differingviews of its structure, reference disciplines and perceptions of its core concerns. Hence systemdevelopment is a learning system, a learning cycle that is ideally never-ending (Checkland47