Thinking about systems design problems using the T.O.P² framework

This paper presents research in progress on the development of a framework labelled T.O.P² (pronounced 'top squared'). The purpose of this framework is to act as a thinking tool for system analysts and designers in thinking about systems design problems. The intention being to simply encourage a holistic view on a complex problem by prompting questions in the analyst's head, with the hope that it will raise issues that might have been forgotten. The author draws evidence from the multiple perspectives and systems design literature to explain the basis of the T.O.P² framework. The T.O.P² framework takes particular inspiration from Linstone's (1984, 1999) Multiple Perspective methodology, which uses the T.O.P. (Technical, Organisational and Personal) and Brunswik's (1952) Lens model of people's perception of objective reality. An example of a website development problem is given to show how this`thinking tool' can be used in practice.