SODA - The principles

Eden, Colin and Ackermann, Fran; Rosenhead, Jonathan and Mingers, John, eds. (2001) SODA - The principles. In: Rational Analysis for a Problematic World Revisited. John Wiley & Sons Inc., Chichester, pp. 21-41. ISBN 9780471495239

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Abstract

The SODA method is an approach which is designed to provide consultants with a set of skills, a framework for designing problem solving interventions and a set of techniques and tools to help their clients work with messy problems. These problems are likely to be those that demand and ability to use model building to help work with both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the problem. It is an approach that aims to encourage the consultant to bring together two skills. Firstly, the skills of a facilitator of the processes involved in helping a problem solving team to work toegether efficiently and effectively in reaching workable - politically feasible - agreements. Secondly, the skill to construct a model of, and pooropriately analyse, the content - interconnected issues, problems, strategies and options - which members of the team wish to address. The process management issues are not taken as independent of the content management issues. Rather, each aspect informs the way in which the other skill is best utilized (Eden, 1990).