Module 7 What is a System?

What is a system?

Very simply, a system is a collection of parts (or subsystems) integrated to accomplish an overall goal. Systems range from very simple (mechanical system of riding a bike) to very complex (nature). See the examples below.

Examples
Sand	People	Car

A pile of sand is not a system. If one removes a sand particle, you've still got a pile of sand.	A system of people is an organization.	A functioning car is a system. Remove the carburetor and you've no longer got a working car.

Human Systems

For the purposes of the IRIS Project, we are interested in human systems represented by organizations that are socio-political in nature.

Socio = of society, serving the interests of society
Political = negotiated standards, often government-regulated, relating to social relationships involving authority or power

Implications for Interpreters

Systems thinking allows us to identify and interpret patterns and events in systems, to understand the inter-relatedness of the various parts of the system, and to better appreciate the social conditions that exist and impact our work.