Applying systems thinking & aligning it to systems engineering

Applying systems thinking & aligning it to systems engineering

Joseph Kasser Tim Mackley

The writing of this paper was funded by a grant from The Leverhulme Trust to Cranfield University.

2 Presented to the INCOSE 2008 Symposium page 2

Contribution of paper

•  There is a need for systems thinking –  little being published on how to teach it –  it is not being taught or applied very well – Need a way to teach and apply it

•  Use systems engineering to solve problem •  STPs Provide

– anchor points for systems thinking –  “Interesting” perspectives


Topics

•  Understanding a system •  Systems thinking •  Systems thinking perspectives (STP) •  Observations from the STPs •  Systems thinking and critical thinking •  Summary •  Conclusion •  Questions and discussion


Problem solving

•  What to do? –  Develop understanding of situation –  Define problem

•  What to do ...

–  Identify alternative solutions •  Ways how to ...

–  Establish evaluation criteria •  To help determine “best” way

–  Make decision –  You have solution!

•  How to do it?

Presented to the INCOSE 2008 Symposium page 5

To understand a thing

•  Analysis (machine age)* –  Take apart the thing to be

understood; –  Try to understand how these

parts worked; –  Assemble an understanding of

the parts into an understanding of the whole.

•  Systems Thinking (systems age)* –  A thing to be understood is

conceptualized as a part of one or more larger wholes, not as a whole to be taken apart;

–  An understanding of the larger system is sought;

–  The system to be understood is explained in terms of its role or function in the containing system. * Ackoff, 1991


Representation of a system


Understanding a system

Internal

External

Blindspots


Perspectives & communications

•  Different perspectives •  Cognitive filters •  Pages •  Wavelength

•  No anchor points

External


Systems thinking perspectives (STP)

1.  Operational 2.  Functional 3.  Big picture 4.  Structural 5.  Generic 6.  Continuum 7.  Temporal 8.  Quantitative 9.  Scientific


Operational perspective (who)

•  How things really work – not how they theoretically should work

•  Use cases •  Concepts of operations •  Cause and effect – linear thinking

–  Simplistic thinking –  Useful for interface analysis (closed system)

•  Cycles, periods – non linear thinking •  Relationships


Functional perspective (what)

•  Ongoing interdependent processes •  Internal relationships •  Feedback loops •  “closed system view”

– Cause and effect – Loops


Big picture perspective

•  Environment and context •  Assumptions behind the design of the

system •  Inputs and outputs •  Relationships between inputs

– As they affect the system •  Filter (abstract) out non-pertinent details •  “open system view”


Big picture - 1

bbbb


Big picture - 2

SDLC

SDLC

SDLC

SDLC

SDLC

SDLC


Common Elements of a System

Input

Output

Boundary

“The environment”

A relationship

A component or element

(Flood and Jackson, 1991)


The Real World (Big picture)

Input

Output

Other factors may have an effect on the real world, due to the arbitrary location of the system boundary


Structural perspective

•  Structural decomposition •  Hierarchies •  Internal subsystem boundaries •  Architectures •  Physical and virtual components •  Effects on the system due to its internal

structure


Generic perspective

•  How the system theoretically should work •  Looking for similarities with other systems

in other domains –  “out of the box” perspective

•  Historical perspective w.r.t. other systems •  Lessons learned from other projects •  Determination if those lessons are

applicable to current project


Continuum perspective

•  Selection of alternatives •  Tradeoffs •  Recognising that

– Things are not necessarily “either-or” •  there may be states in between •  one size does NOT fit all (optimally) •  things are situational

– Changing conditions may cause movement along the continuum


Continuum STP – Not!

•  “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail” (Maslow, 1966) pages 15 and 16).

•  “SE is solution to all problems” – SOS are in Area 3G – Column G

•  Operations Research?


Continuum thinking

1.  Nails are the solution to one class of problems,

2.  Nails might be a solution to other classes of problems (although not necessarily optimal), and

3.  The rest of the classes of problems should be monitored while the systems engineer gets the correct tool to tackle that class of problem.


Temporal perspectives

•  How the system behaves over time –  Patterns of behaviour

•  cycles •  prevention

–  Availability •  Maintenance, Logistics

–  Obsolescence –  Reflection on past –  Lessons learned

•  Current paradigm is a step in the staircase of history –  open mind to new thoughts


Quantitative perspective

•  Numbers must be useful not necessarily perfect •  Numbers need not be absolute

–  Relative comparisons

•  Quantification rather than measurement •  Pareto principle •  Helps to understand relationships

–  OSTP and FSTP

•  Provides values for parameters in models and simulations –  OSTP and FSTP


Scientific perspective

•  Statement of the problem •  Similar to ‘trial and error’ approach to

problem solving •  Hypothesis formulation and testing •  Research questions


• Who? • What? • Where? • When? • Why? • How?

Various perspectives

Journalist’s perspective


STP traceability Matrix

1 2 3 4 5 6 STP Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Operational Functional Big picture Structural Generic Continuum Temporal Quantitative Scientific

There may not be an immediate answer to every question

Active Brainstorming


Combinations

•  STPs provide Anchor Points •  Combinations are also useful

– Structural + Temporal •  Landscapes and frameworks •  Gantt charts

– Waterfall perspective

– Generic + Temporal •  Lessons learned •  TRIZ


Problem solving Operational/Temporal STP

Manifestation of problem

Cause Symptom (effect)

Attempted solution

Feedback

Action?

Delay

Delay

Delay

Delay


Similarity to Big picture

bbbb

Direct and indirect connections


Structural/Temporal STP provides the HKM (2D) Framework for understanding SE


Topics

•  Understanding a system •  Systems thinking •  Systems thinking perspectives (STP) •  Observations from the STPs •  Systems thinking and critical thinking •  Summary •  Conclusion •  Questions and discussion


Layer 2 System Layer

Layer 1 Product Layer

Layer 3 Business Layer

Layer 4 Supply Chain Layer

Layer 5 Socio-Economic Layer

Syst

em sc

ale

Life-cycle temporal focus

Cook’s Views

Traditional Systems Engineering







Information Systems

Syst

em sc

ale


Cook’s Views







Syst

em sc

ale

Military Platforms


Cook’s Views







Syst

em sc

ale

Contemporary T&E


Cook’s Views







Information Systems

Syst

em sc

ale

Contemporary T&E Military Platforms


Capability Development

Cook’s Views

Traditional Systems Engineering


Standards in the HKMF?

499/632

1220

15288/CMMI


Waterfall model

Design

Requirements

Test

Operate

Implement

From problem to solution

Activity Problem Answer

38

Anchor point


Soft Systems Methodology CATWOE Systems Thinking Perspective

Client/customer Big picture Actor Operational Transformation Functional and performance Weltanschauung Big Picture Owner Big Picture Environment Big Picture


Systems Dynamics

•  System – a collection of components interacting for a purpose (Clark, 1998).

•  “System dynamics is the study of processes through the use of systems and how they can be modeled, explored and explained” (Clark, 1998).

•  A process consists of activities or functions. •  Hence in systems thinking, systems dynamics is

a tool with which to analyse the behaviour of a system over time (functional and operational STPs).


Initial mapping: DODAF and STPs

All View

Operational View

System View Technical

View

Operational X X - X

Functional X X X X

Big picture X - - X

Structural X - X X

Generic - - - -

Continuum - - - -

Temporal - - - -

Quantitative - - - x

Scientific - - - -


Systems thinking & critical thinking

Systems Thinking

Indicates need for

Provides viewpoints

(anchor points) for knowledge

Provides rules for thinking &

communicating knowledge received from the viewpoints

Critical Thinking


You are applying systems & critical thinking when..

•  When you reason about things •  Where other’s don’t, you see

– patterns in “unrelated” things – ambiguity

•  you develop a “strange” sense of humour – solutions instead of problems

•  by changing the viewpoint of the problem •  different or combination


Summary

•  Understanding a system •  Systems thinking •  Systems thinking perspectives (STP) •  Observations from the STPs •  Systems thinking and an introduction to

critical thinking


Conclusion

•  "When people know a number of things, and one of them understands how the things are systematically categorized and related, that person has an advantage over the others who don't have the same understanding.“

•  Luzato, M.C., The Way of God, about 1735.


Postscript

•  Applying systems thinking is difficult •  Changing your way of thinking is even

more difficult •  Stuck in a discussion

–  Introduce another perspective •  Use active brainstorming table •  See the Battle of Britain example in the

paper


Questions, and comments?

Course

Systems engineering

HKMF Examine each

phase in the

SDLC

ORP, FRAT,

SPARKS

Systems thinking

Systems thinking

perspectives

Active brainstorming

Communications

Team activities Presentations

Applying systems thinking & aligning it to systems engineering

Business

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