Hard systems

Hard systems is a problem-solving approach in systems science. It is opposing soft systems. Although soft systems thinking treats all problems as ill-defined or not easily quantified, hard systems approaches (systems analysis (structured methods), operations research and so on) assume that:

• the problems associated with such systems are well-defined
• they have a single, optimum solution
• a scientific approach to problem-solving will work well
• technical factors will tend to predominate

Developments in hard systems thinking

Hard systems began to emerge as a distinct philosophy in the 1950s.

See also

• Systems engineering
• Systems analysis
• Systems dynamics