ITS410 – FUNDAMENTALS OF

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

LECTURE 1 – FUNDAMENTAL SYSTEMS CONCEPTS (I)

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 WHAT IS A SYSTEM?
A system is an entity which maintains its existence
through the mutual interaction of its parts.
A system is a group of interacting, interrelated, or
interdependent elements forming a complex whole.

mechanical biological
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WHAT IS A SYSTEM?

A simplified diagram of
a system – an
organised whole

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THE EARTH IS A SYSTEM

A system is holistic
because it is a
Whole

- cities, states, countries, roads etc.

1. Purposeful
2. Organized
3. Interrelated

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A HOUSE IS A SYSTEM

A system is holistic
because it is a
Whole

1. Purposeful
2. Organized
3. Interrelated

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THE UNIVERSITY IS A SYSTEM

A system is holistic
because it is a
Whole

1. Purposeful
2. Organized
3. Interrelated

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A pile of stuff is not A
IS THIS a SYSTEM?
whole, but a “heap”

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 WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF A
SYSTEM?

The function of any system is to convert or process

energy, information, or materials into a product or
outcome for use within the system, or outside of the
system (the environment) or both.

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 SYSTEMS CONCEPTS

Systems are
Systems are human
human concepts
concepts defined
defined subjectively.
subjectively.
Groupsof
Groups ofindividuals
individualsmay
mayorormay
maynotnotagree
agreeabout
aboutwhat
whatconstitutes
constitutesaa
particularsystem.
particular system.

Different people have different idea/perspective on a system

Systems are
Systems are organised
organised to
to achieve
achieve aa goal
goal
Thearrangements
The arrangementsof
ofthe
theparts
partsgives
givesthe
thesystem
systemits
itsidentity
identity
Wecan
We canmeasure
measurehow
howwell
wellititperforms
performsto
tomeet
meetits
itsgoal
goal

If you properly study the user requirements, it reflects the identity of your
system whether it is going to be the best/worst system to user

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 SYSTEMS CONCEPTS
Structure defines THE HEART
STRUCTURE
components &
their relationships Structure: central organ of the
circulatory systems
FUNCTION Function defines Function: circulate blood
the outcomes or
Process: pumping
results produced

PROCESS Process explicitly

defines the sequence
of activities and the
know-how required
to produce the
outcome Context:

CONTEXT Context defines the

unique environment in
which the system is
situated
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 SYSTEMS CONCEPTS

1. Components
1. Componentsare areperceived
perceivedto tobe
berelated
relatedininhierarchical
hierarchical
structures
structures
2. There
2. Thereare
are means
meansof of control
controlandandcommunication
communication
whichpromote
which promote system
system survival
survival
3. The
3. Thesystem
systemhas has emergent
emergentproperties,
properties,some someof of which
which
aredifficult
are difficultto
topredict
predict
4. The
4. Thesystem
systemhas hasaa boundary
boundary
5. Outside
5. Outsidethetheboundary
boundaryisisaa system
systemenvironment
environment whichwhich
affectsthe
affects thesystem
system
6. System
6. System behaviour
behaviour ––the the behaviour
behaviourof of any
any particular
particular
systemarises
system arisesfrom
from the
thenature
natureofof the
thesystem
system(not
(not as
asaa
randomevent)
random event)
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 SYSTEMS CONCEPTS (E.g.)
1. Think of any systems which is different from common system (registration system, booking system
etc.)
2. Identify the structure, function, process and context of the system
3. Identify the emergent properties for the selected system (to be covered in chapter 2).
1. Car system (combination of jumble of metal, tubes and wires)
Structure – gasoline car engine
Function –to move the car
Process - to burn the gasoline inside an engine to convert gasoline into motion
Context – traffic, road
Emergent Properties – experience (feeling) that you have from having a car. Benefit to you or
building or environment
Boundary - body

2. Washing Machine system

Structure – agitator, inner and outer wash tub, electric motor and drain tube
Function – to move the clothing up, down, back and forth (agitator), the adding of water and
detergent mixture to the clothes (inner tub). To spin the entire wash tub, forcing the
water out (outer tub), the motor which accelerates the process of washing.
Process - washing, spinning, draining
Context – kitchen
Emergent Properties – save time & energy, easiest way to wash clothes
Boundary - body
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Structure? Function? Process? Context? Emergent Property?

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 SYSTEMS CONCEPTS

Inthe
In themost
mostgeneral
generalsense,
sense,system
systemmeans
meansaa
CONFIGURATIONOF
CONFIGURATION OF PARTS
PARTS connected
connectedand
andjoined
joined
togetherby
together byaa web
web of
of RELATIONSHIPS.
RELATIONSHIPS.
Basically,aasystem
Basically, system isis how
howthings
thingsare
areworking
working together.
together.

The joining
The joiningand
andintegrating
integrating of
of the
theweb
webofof relationships
relationships
creates EMERGENT
creates EMERGENTPROPERTIES
PROPERTIES whichwhich we
wethen
thenexperience
experience
asaa whole.
as whole.

Theseproperties,
These properties, because
becausetheytheyare
are aaproperty
propertyofofthethe
relationships, will
relationships, willnot
notbe
befound
foundin inany
anyanalysis
analysis of
of just
justthe
the
parts.This
parts. Thisisis the
the VALUE
VALUEof of systems
systemstheory,
theory, seeing
seeingthethe
WHOLENESS that
WHOLENESS that can't
can't be
beseen
seen in
inthe
the parts
parts apart.
apart.
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 SYSTEMS CONCEPTS

EMERGENT PROPERTIES

For example, the taste of saltiness is a property of salt, but that does
not mean that it is also a property of sodium and chlorine, the two
elements which make up salt. Thus, saltiness is an emergent or a
supervenient property of salt.

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 SYSTEMIC PHILOSOPHY

Systemic philosophy asks the question,

"How can we understand systems in principle?"

With the perspectives of systems philosophy,

we look at the world in terms of facts and events in the
context of wholes, and
we understand them as integrated sets purposefully

arranged in systemic relations.

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WHY WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND
SYSTEMS?

The Blind Men and the Elephant

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We sometimes
possess on our part
of the system, and
miss the whole

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19
20
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 CORE
CONCEPTS

TYPES

SYSTEMS

THINKING
ELEMENTS

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 DEFINING SYSTEMS

The definition of a system implies something beyond cause and

effect. Rather than simply A affects B, there is an implication
that B also affects A.

The key emphasis here is one of "mutual interaction" in that

something is occurring between the parts, over time, which
maintains the system.

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 SYSTEMS DEFINITIONS

AAsystem
system means
meansaa grouping
grouping of
ofparts
partsthat
thatoperate
operate
togetherfor
together for aacommon
common purpose.
purpose.(Watson,
(Watson,1994).
1994).

AAsystem
system isisan
an assemblage
assemblageor orcombination
combination of
of elements
elements oror parts
parts
formingaacomplex
forming complexoror unitary
unitarywhole,
whole, such
suchas
asaariver
riversystem
systemororaa
transportationsystem
transportation system (Random
(RandomHouse
HouseDictionary)
Dictionary)

AAsystem
system isisaa coordinated
coordinatedbody
bodyofof methods
methods ororaacomplex
complex
schemeor
scheme or plan
planof
ofprocedure,
procedure,such
suchas asaasystem
system of
of
organizationand
organization andmanagement;
management;anyanyregular
regularor
or special
specialmethod
method
ofplan
of planoror procedure,
procedure, such
such as
as aa system
system of
of marking,
marking,
numbering, or
numbering, or measuring
measuring(Blanchard
(Blanchard &&Fabrychy,
Fabrychy, 1998).
1998).

AAsystem
system isisan
aninterrelated
interrelatedset
setof
ofbusiness
businessprocedures
proceduresused
used
withinone
within onebusiness
businessunit
unit working
workingtogether
togetherfor
foraapurpose
purpose
......
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 SYSTEMS DEFINITIONS

AAsystem
system isisaacollection
collectionof
of components
components such
suchas
as
people, hardware,
people, hardware, software,
software,materials,
materials, procedures
proceduresoror
servicesthat
services thatare
are gathered
gatheredand
andsynchronized
synchronizedsosothat
that
mutualinteractions
mutual interactions using
usingresources
resourcesin
inaagiven
given
environment satisfies
environment satisfiesthe
the needs
needsand
andexpectations
expectations
thatare
that arederived
derivedfrom
fromthe
the mission
missionand
andthe
the objectives
objectives
themselvesderived
themselves derivedfrom
fromits
its purpose
purpose

IS = h/w + s/w + data + people + n/w

Procedures/guidelines
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 STANDARDIZED DEFINITION OF
SYSTEMS
ISO/IEC15288
ISO/IEC 15288
AAsystem
systemisisaacombination
combinationof
ofinteracting
interactingelements
elementsorganized
organizedto
toachieve
achieve
oneor
one ormore
morestated
statedpurposes
purposes
Note1:1:AAsystem
Note systemmay
maybe beconsidered
consideredas asaaproduct
productor
oras
asthe
theservices
servicesititprovides
provides
Note2:2:InInpractice,
Note practice,the
theinterpretation
interpretationofofits
itsmeaning
meaningisisfrequently
frequentlyclarified
clarifiedby
bythe
the
useof
use ofaaassociative
associativenoun,
noun,e.g.
e.g.aircraft
aircraftsystem
system

ANSI/EIA632
ANSI/EIA 632
AAsystem
systemisisan
anaggregation
aggregationof
ofend
endproducts
productsand
andenabling
enablingproducts
productsto
to
achieveaagiven
achieve givenpurpose
purpose
AAsystem
systemconsists
consistsofofboth
boththe
theend
endproducts
productsto
tobe
beused
usedbybyan
anacquirer
acquirerfor
foran
an
intendedpurpose
intended purposeand
andthetheset
setofofenabling
enablingproducts
productsthat
thatenable
enablethe
thecreation,
creation,
realizationand
realization anduse
useofofend
endproducts
productsor oran
anaggregation
aggregationofofend
endproducts.
products.
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 A MODEL OF THE DEFINITION OF A
SYSTEM
Needs and
System
expectation aspects
is characterized by

Purpose Mission Objectives

is declined by

Operational
as solicited by Scenarios implement

Functions
External
Systems Perform

Boundary
External
Systems Architectures Components
aspect aspect
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 A VIEW OF SYSTEMS DEFINITION

Purpose
traces to

Mission Objectives
traces to traces to

Needs & Expectations

Needs & Expectations
Needs & Expectations

satisfied by satisfied by

Mutual interactions of
functions
Performed by Performed by

components components components components

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 TUTORIAL QUESTIONS

1. Give three examples of systems you see in your

everyday life:
1. Describe the structure of the systems.
2. Describe the function of the system.
3. Describe the process of the system.
4. Describe the context of the system.
5. Name an emergent property of the system.

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