The complex and interconnected problems we face in public health necessitate a broad range of questions about what is happening, why it is happening, and how we might act. Systems Thinking methodologies provide structured ways to explore these kinds of challenges: not to solve them outright, but to understand them more deeply and work with them more effectively.

Different systems methods illuminate different aspects of such questions: some focus on meaning and purpose, others on structure, feedback, or adaptation. Together, they encourage researchers and practitioners to engage with complexity reflectively, choosing approaches according to the context and the questions being explored rather than following a fixed sequence or hierarchy.

Who will this workshop benefit?

• Researchers, students and practitioners interested in applying systems thinking to public health contexts.
• Public health professionals working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Community partners and practitioners engaged in health-systems improvement.
• Anyone curious about using systems approaches to support reflective inquiry.

Aim of the session

To introduce Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) as an approach for exploring complex, human-centred situations and understanding purposeful action in systems where different perspectives and values coexist across the public health domain.

Objectives of the workshop

By the end of the session, participants will:

• Understand the origins and principles of Soft Systems Methodology.
• Recognise the kinds of Discovery Questions that SSM helps us explore.
• Become familiar with the logic-based and cultural streams of SSM.
• Demonstrate practical examples of how SSM has been used within a public health context.

What will we cover in this session?

• Introduction to Soft Systems Methodology (origins, rationale, key thinkers).
• The idea of “human activity systems” and purposeful action.
• Overview of SSM stages and tools: rich pictures, root definitions, CATWOE and conceptual models.
• How SSM supports reflection and learning in complex settings.
• Examples of discovery questions that SSM helps address in public-health research.

When?

28 January 2026, 10:30 - 12:30 (GMT)

Please note: you must register separately for Session 2 - more information HERE