Soft Systems Methodology Meets Wardley Mapping
In our last post, we explored how double-loop learning keeps Wardley Maps honest by forcing us to question the assumptions and frames that underpin our maps. But what happens when a problem is so messy and contested that we can't even agree on a starting point for the map?
Pairing Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)—Peter Checkland’s approach for exploring messy situations through multiple worldviews—with Wardley Mapping gives leaders a disciplined way to explore these situations, negotiate a shared worldview, and only then convert that clarity into the structure of a map. SSM makes space for conflicting narratives and hidden assumptions, while Wardley Maps translate an agreed purpose into visible components, evolution, and strategic plays. Together, they form a loop: learn the situation, model a purposeful change, map what needs to exist, and then test your strategy against reality.
