Applying Soft Systems Methodology to Review Adult Skills Funding: Lessons from a First-Time Practitioner

In this presentation, I will share my experience of using Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to review adult skills funding with colleagues from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Education (DfE). This was the first time I had used SSM in a real project, having only tried it before in a practice session with my supportive team. I will talk about what it was like to apply the method in a complex policy area, where different people had different views about the issues, priorities and possible solutions. I will explain how I used SSM to better understand the system, bring together different perspectives and identify opportunities for improvement. The presentation will cover the challenges I faced, how I worked through them, and the outcomes that came from the review. I will reflect honestly on what went well, what I would do differently, and what I learned from the experience. As a Systems Thinking Practitioner apprentice, this is an opportunity to share my experience of applying SSM in the real world with my fellow apprentices. Most importantly, I will share what this project taught me about systems thinking and about myself.