A methodology made up of 5 methods
A methodology is a set of methods. The methods that are part of the Sapiens methodology are:
- El systemic method, which is the core method. It is based on systemic thinking, and is divided into two main visions: the context, formed by the systems of nature, the human being and the action of the human being, and the company system, formed by the different elements that give place to the Business Identity Document (DIE). It consists of locating the object of study in the context and analyzing the company's system.
- El lexical, semantic and conceptual method, which consists of questioning the terms related to the subject of study and their definitions, and is specified with the elaboration of its own lexicon, its own dictionary, for the project, which allows to precisely define the object of study.
- El classification method It consists of questioning the classifications of concepts linked to the subject of study, and it is specified with the expansion of the list of terms and definitions to create a classification of its own for the project.
- El comparative method, which consists of establishing parallels with other objects of study, as a whole or partially, analyzing their similarities and differences, which helps to improve the dictionary and classification.
- El historical method, consisting of studying the origin and evolution of the subject of study, and is specified in a chronology of milestones and eras. With it, it is possible to deepen the knowledge developed with the other four methods, and especially with the systemic method, incorporating the historical perspective, studying the evolution throughout the ages. This will be useful to work in the future of the object of study.
We have two ways of looking at the methods. If we look at them in order of importance, the systemic method is the most important. It is the base, the core, the central method. The rest of the methods are auxiliary methods, which help to develop the systemic method.
On the other hand, if we look at them in order of application, the systemic method does not necessarily have to be the first. In fact, we think it is better to work on the lexical method, the classificatory method, and the comparative method first.
Then, with the systemic approach, the knowledge gained from definitions, classifications, and comparisons will be further developed. In fact, a more detailed classification will be developed according to systems thinking.
Finally, we believe that it is better to develop the historical method when the others have already been developed, since this will allow applying the historical perspective to all the knowledge generated with all the others.
Still, this order of application is a flexible proposition. Depending on the project, the order can be tweaked. And in fact it is very likely that some methods need to be worked in parallel.
Therefore, a possible proposal for the order of application of the methods that make up the Sapiens methodology, remembering the flexibility and the need to work in parallel, would be the following:
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN METHODS