Rich picture
Encyclopedia
Part of the Soft systems
methodology, Rich Pictures provide a mechanism for learning about complex or ill-defined problems by drawing detailed ("rich") representations of them. Typically, rich pictures follow no commonly agreed syntax, usually consist of symbols, sketches or "doodles" and can contain as much (pictorial) information as is deemed necessary. The finished picture may be of value to other stakeholders of the problem being described since it is likely to capture many different facets of the situation, but the real value of this technique is the way it forces the creator to think deeply about the problem and understand it well enough to express it pictorially (a process known as action learning
).
Rich Pictures are a diagrammatic way of relating your own experiences and perceptions to a given problem situation through the identification and linking of a series of concepts. The creation of a Rich Picture provides a forum in which to think about a given situation. Rich pictures should concentrate on both the structure and the processes of a given situation.
Rich Pictures are a part of the understanding process, not just a way of recording what you know of a given situation or creating a work of art. The use of metaphor in Rich Pictures means that their interpretation by others can often be difficult. This is of little consequence as it is the personal learning aspects that are important to this method.
It is also possible to produce Rich Pictures as part of a group. By having everybody contribute to a Rich Picture they can be used to help develop a shared understanding of a given situation.
Mind map
s are often considered to be Rich Pictures, but since these tend to be mainly text-based and do dictate a degree of formality with respect to their structure, clear distinctions can be drawn. Generally, the two notations serve different purposes (for example, in the field of Systems Engineering
).
Soft systems
Soft systems methodology is a systemic approach for tackling real-world problematic situations. Soft Systems Methodology is the result of the continuing action research that Peter Checkland, Brian Wilson, and many others have conducted over 30 years, to provide a framework for users to deal with...
methodology, Rich Pictures provide a mechanism for learning about complex or ill-defined problems by drawing detailed ("rich") representations of them. Typically, rich pictures follow no commonly agreed syntax, usually consist of symbols, sketches or "doodles" and can contain as much (pictorial) information as is deemed necessary. The finished picture may be of value to other stakeholders of the problem being described since it is likely to capture many different facets of the situation, but the real value of this technique is the way it forces the creator to think deeply about the problem and understand it well enough to express it pictorially (a process known as action learning
Action learning
Action learning is an educational process whereby the participant studies their own actions and experience in order to improve performance. Learners acquire knowledge through actual actions and repetitions, rather than through traditional instruction....
).
Rich Pictures are a diagrammatic way of relating your own experiences and perceptions to a given problem situation through the identification and linking of a series of concepts. The creation of a Rich Picture provides a forum in which to think about a given situation. Rich pictures should concentrate on both the structure and the processes of a given situation.
Rich Pictures are a part of the understanding process, not just a way of recording what you know of a given situation or creating a work of art. The use of metaphor in Rich Pictures means that their interpretation by others can often be difficult. This is of little consequence as it is the personal learning aspects that are important to this method.
It is also possible to produce Rich Pictures as part of a group. By having everybody contribute to a Rich Picture they can be used to help develop a shared understanding of a given situation.
Mind map
Mind map
A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Especially in British English, the terms spidergram and spidergraph are more common, but they can cause confusion with the term spider diagram used in mathematics...
s are often considered to be Rich Pictures, but since these tend to be mainly text-based and do dictate a degree of formality with respect to their structure, clear distinctions can be drawn. Generally, the two notations serve different purposes (for example, in the field of Systems Engineering
Systems engineering
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed over the life cycle of the project. Issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, and automatic control of machinery become more...
).