mustafa degerli - 2016 - systems ideas
TRANSCRIPT
Mustafa DegerliOctober, 2016 – METU II
Agenda Definition of system
Types of system
Systems thinking
Habits of a systems thinker
Structures and processes
System environment
Hierarchy and resolution
Prediction and control
Emergent properties
System ownership
World-view
Definition of system System
something which operates in an organized way
take ingredients (inputs) through a procedure (process) which is expected to convert them into useful products (outputs)
The input-process-output principle is essential to all systems
Definition of system The effort of systems analysts towards making
the input-process-output procedure more efficient
Ends-and-means dominated
Feedback loops and control typify an emphasis on improvement of system
Definition of system Since the mid-1980s, there has also been a
steady development of systems thinking in management
The most notable application has been in the three functionally related areas of quality management, environmental management and safety management
Establish a cycle of continuous improvement in aspects of management
Definition of system A system may be described as a recognizable
whole which consists of a number of parts (called components or elements) that are connected up in an organized way (the system's structure)
Definition of system Characteristics
A system does something
Addition or removal of a component changes the system
A component is affected by its inclusion in the system
Components are perceived to be related in hierarchical structures
Definition of system Characteristics
There are means for control and communication to promote system survival
The system has emergent properties, some of which are difficult to predict
The system has a boundary
Outside the boundary is a system environment which affects the system
A system is owned by someone
Types of system Natural systems (e.g. biological systems,
disease, the weather)
Designed abstract systems (e.g. computer programming languages, simulatory models, signing systems)
Engineered or designed technical systems (e.g. process plant, computer systems)
Human activity systems (e.g. work organizations, a department, a committee
Types of system Information systems are often classified
separately, although they are likely to combine aspects of abstract, engineered and human activity systems
Engineered systems, natural systems and designed abstract systems are perceived by them to be hard
The properties of hard systems typically have (or are perceived to have) a high degree of predictability and attributes which are readily quantifiable and measurable
Types of system Compared with soft systems, hard systems are
assumed to have fewer unpredictable properties
Soft systems have a much higher degree of assumed unpredictability because they involve (perceived) people's values attitudes and behavior which are complex and variable
Soft systems are perceived typically to have properties which are difficult to quantify and measure e.g. view-points, conflicts, vested interests and other qualitative characteristics
Habits of a systems thinker
Habits of a systems thinker
Structures and processes Two kinds of system component - structural and
process components
Systems structure is represented by relatively stable, lasting components which either carry out processes or are acted on by processes, i.e. the “doers” and the “done-to”
The processes within a system are represented by transient, changing components, i.e. action, change, growth, decline or “doing” of some kind
System environment The system environment comprises
components which affect the system but which the system is unable to control directly and is unable to affect to any significant extent
The environment of the overall management system of an organization is likely to include public policy, legislation, the economy, technology, product markets and so on
Hierarchy and resolution Resolution and hierarchy concern the level of
detail appropriate to the analyst’s task
It is common in systems practice to adjust levels of resolution up and down as the work progresses
Hierarchy is allied to resolution in that some components are considered by the analyst to be subordinate to others in terms of authority, time, sequence or some other characteristic
Prediction and control Prediction and control relate to the system’s
ability to head off dysfunction and survive when things go wrong.
Knowledge of a system’s structure, processes and control characteristics enables its behavior to be predicted in a range of circumstances
Systems have a mixture of predictable properties and properties which are difficult to predict
Prediction and control In man-made systems, the job of system
specifiers and designers is to
look beyond the expected, desirable outcomes and
try to identify undesirable possibilities so that they can be designed out or their consequences mitigated
Monitoring performance against criteria is a key control requirement and enables the system to correct deviations from desired outputs
Emergent properties A system is not just a collection of
interconnected components
Interactions as a whole, or “synergy,” produces emergent properties or behavior
not readily be predicted simply by examining each component in isolation or even some of the components together
Emergent properties Emergence is consistent with holism
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts
Systems designed with noble intentions sometimes can have devastating consequences for those who were meant to be helped
System ownership Persons interested in the particular systems for
the purposes of design, improvement, implementation, problem-solving, study and so on
Who controls and maintains the system
The system owners are likely to be particular managers, possibly at a senior level
Who can cause the system to change significantly or cease to exist, while stakeholding employees or operational individuals cannot
World-view The complex set of perceptions, attitudes,
beliefs, values, assumptions and motivations which characterize an individual or a group of people
World-view is a kind of perceptual window through which each person interprets the world and his or her relationship with it
It has immense importance in systems work because it concerns characteristic biases, not only of key figures and other owners of the particular system but also of the system analyst
World-view As world-views affects system behavior and
outcomes, the world-views both of the social actors in the setting being examined and the analyst need to be identified
It should not be taken for granted that in a given setting everyone holds the same views about problems, issues, solutions and priorities
It would be impractical to consider the world-views of hundreds of individuals but it is important to identify the world-views of key individuals exerting particular influence
References Waring, A. (1996). Practical Systems Thinking,
International Thomson Business Press.
Systems Thinking White Boarding
https://youtu.be/lhbLNBqhQkc
Habits of a Systems Thinker https://goo.gl/zzqqc1
What’s your worldview? https://youtu.be/VXnSE0uvwzM
