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A Framework for Understanding Systems Principles and Methods
Author(s) -
Rousseau David
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
insight
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2156-4868
pISSN - 2156-485X
DOI - 10.1002/inst.12207
Subject(s) - scope (computer science) , typology , interdependence , computer science , key (lock) , management science , architecture , system of systems , complex system , risk analysis (engineering) , systems engineering , data science , systems design , engineering , software engineering , artificial intelligence , geography , computer security , sociology , business , social science , archaeology , programming language
Systems engineering is increasingly challenged by the rising complexity of projects undertaken, resulting in increases in costs, failure rates, and negative unintended consequences. This resulted in calls for more scientific principles to underpin the methods of systems engineering. In this paper, it is argued that our ability to improve systems engineering's methods depends on making the principles of systemology, of which systems engineering is a part, more diverse and more scientific. An architecture for systemology is introduced, which shows how the principles of systemology arise from interdependent processes spanning multiple disciplinary fields, and on this basis a typology is introduced, which can be used to classify systems principles and systems methods. This framework, consisting of an architecture and a typology, can be used to survey and classify the principles and methods currently in use in systemology, map vocabularies referring to them, identify key gaps, and expose opportunities for further development. It may thus serve as a tool for coordinating collaborative work towards advancing the scope and depth of systemology