CATWOE Checklist

CATWOE Checklist

What is it?

The CATWOE Checklist is a Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) developed by Peter Checkland; essentially it is a checklist to first, identify the problem, and second, find solutions the problem. SSM’s are used to analyze problems in organizations that have no straightforward or easy solutions; often these problems themselves are very complex. CATWOE is an acronym for six elements of an SSM that proved to be most beneficial in providing a holistic approach to identifying and analyzing these complex problems:

C: Customers (Typically the customers of the organization)

A: Actors (Typically the employees of the organization)

T: Transformation Process (The change that occurs due to the system)

W: Weltanshauung (Worldview) (Consideration of the big picture- the interests the stakeholders & the impact to those surrounding the organization)

O: Owners (Typically the owner of the organization/the one who makes the decisions about the start and stop of projects)

E: Environmental Constraints (Real environmental elements that could influence the organization; i.e. regulations, environmental factors, financial limits, etc.)

How is it used?

As its name implies, one would use the CATWOE as a checklist. By identifying each element of the acronym, the assessor is able to identify each element of that affect the system. This can lead to greater understanding which can be used to derive and develop a solution to the root problem.

Why is it used?

The CATWOE is used to initiate the thinking process regarding what the organization is trying to achieve. This problem-solving approach somewhat prompts a debate amongst invested parties in regard to achieving a solution to the complex problem at hand with a goal of arriving at a consensus (which may be a combination of multiple debated solutions).

Advantages and disadvantages of use?

Advantages

· Brings clarity to issues with multiple perceptions

· Allows for the consideration of multiple perspectives when looking for a solution to a problem (ethical)

· Holistic understanding of multiple perspectives

· Foundation for the integration of multiple perspectives

Disadvantages

· Difficult to manage

· It could take a large amount of time to present/debate all perspectives and arrive at a consensus

Real World examples of use?

An example of a real-world use of the CATWOE checklist in combination with other soft systems methodologies, was in the medical field, specifically to identify competencies needed by nurses to meet the needs of the “patient of the future.” The goal of using the soft systems methodologies was two-fold: to identify the characteristics of the patient of the future and to derive the set of competencies needed by a nurse to manage new patient characteristics in conjunction with new and emerging health technologies. The CATWOE was used to formulate the solution to the problem: What competencies are needed by nurses to cope with the patient of the future. The Table below, from Zeleznkik, Kokol, & Vosner, depicts the analysis of the complex problem using the CATWOE Checklist.

(Zeleznik, Kokol, & Vosner, 2016, p. 109)