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8.1.3 Applying Engineering Principles to Human Components in Complex Systems
Author(s) -
Kurstedt Harold
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.2000.tb00367.x
Subject(s) - dyad , human systems engineering , key (lock) , complex system , computer science , causality (physics) , block diagram , systems thinking , engineering , artificial intelligence , psychology , computer security , electrical engineering , social psychology , physics , quantum mechanics
Abstract Systems engineers must understand the workings within and the relationships among human as well as non‐human subsystems in the larger systems they're engineering. To be systems thinkers, we must easily and comfortably integrate human subsystems into complex systems. A key to approaching the human subsystems is to incorporate solution‐focused thinking that is based on circular and mutual causality rather than cause and effect. However, systems engineers can quite well apply their engineer's laws of physical science to human subsystems. The fundamental building block for systems that include humans is the dyad (two people). When anxiety rises in a dyad, the two people will attract a third human or non‐human subsystem to form a triangle. We can diagram dyads and triangles to better analyze, design, and implement complex systems containing human subsystems.