Towards a new framework for evaluating systemic problem structuring methods

► Provides a new evaluation framework for systemic problem structuring methods. ► Integrates case study and comparative evaluation approaches. ► Provides a questionnaire for practitioners to use in the context of the framework. Operational researchers and social scientists often make significant cla...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	European journal of operational research Vol. 229; no. 1; pp. 143 - 154
Main Authors:	Midgley, Gerald, Cavana, Robert Y., Brocklesby, John, Foote, Jeff L., Wood, David R.R., Ahuriri-Driscoll, Annabel
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 16-08-2013 Elsevier Sequoia S.A
Subjects:	Comparative analysis Criteria Evaluation of methods Intervention Mathematical problems Operations research Participative methods Problem structuring methods Soft operational research Studies Systems methodology Systems thinking Soft operational research Systems methodology Participative methods Problem structuring methods Systems thinking Evaluation of methods
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Summary:	► Provides a new evaluation framework for systemic problem structuring methods. ► Integrates case study and comparative evaluation approaches. ► Provides a questionnaire for practitioners to use in the context of the framework. Operational researchers and social scientists often make significant claims for the value of systemic problem structuring and other participative methods. However, when they present evidence to support these claims, it is usually based on single case studies of intervention. There have been very few attempts at evaluating across methods and across interventions undertaken by different people. This is because, in any local intervention, contextual factors, the skills of the researcher and the purposes being pursued by stakeholders affect the perceived success or failure of a method. The use of standard criteria for comparing methods is therefore made problematic by the need to consider what is unique in each intervention. So, is it possible to develop a single evaluation approach that can support both locally meaningful evaluations and longer-term comparisons between methods? This paper outlines a methodological framework for the evaluation of systemic problem structuring methods that seeks to do just this.
ISSN:	0377-2217 1872-6860 1872-6860
DOI:	10.1016/j.ejor.2013.01.047