Day: 26 October 2015
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Hierarchy
Hierarchy determines the graded levels of systems and sub-systems. Need to decide how many levels of hierarchy to analyse: too few results in any overly simplistic analysis resulting in interconnections and complexity being misunderstood too many results in any overly complicated analysis resulting in too much detail obscuring key interconnections Example: Consider a school as…
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Environment and sub-system
Environment is context in which system operates and is major influence on system behaviour. System receives inputs from and provides outputs to environment. Systems change overtime. “What does the system interact with?” – no absolute answer. Depends on perspective taken. The same applies to the boundary too. Stakeholders have one view but asking whole group…
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Boundary
Identifies limits of the system. Definition of boundary relates directly to system’s purpose. Inside boundary are elements/components that make up system and are within system’s control. Outside boundary is environment and the elements/components that are outside of the system’s control. Elements/components both inside and outside boundary can be used as system inputs and can also be…
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Control
When the system is able to control itself. May use feedback received to match against goals and objectives. If any discrepancies detected, system takes corrective action by changing outputs which, as a result, change the inputs. This occurs on a continuous basis depending on the feedback. Control is over-arching term that includes feedback. Control loop…