Critical theory, Carl Jung, and symbo-construction in soft systems rich pictures

Mark Campbell Williams

pp. 157-162

in: Frank A. Stowell, Ray Ison, Rosalind Armson, Jacky Holloway, Sue Jackson (eds), Systems for sustainability, Berlin, Springer, 1997

Abstract

SSM uses a technique of drawing pictorial metaphors termed "rich pictures", to serve as aids in investigating "ill-defined, real-world" problems (Hicks, 1994; Standing and Campbell Williams, 1993). Rich pictures often incorporate symbols or cartoon-like representations to point to key factors in the systems under investigation and to give a sense of the richness which seems to occur in most human situations. As I reported in an earlier paper (Campbell Williams, 1995b), I extend the idea of rich pictures to give pictorial metaphors. Although all metaphors have their limitations and can be confusing, I consider that they help me to convey the rich allusiveness, symbolism and sense of complexity in many human situations.