Structure of System

Simulation & Modeling

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Some of the materials in this slide are my summary from Principle of System by Jay W. Forrester,
Productivity, 1971

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Overview

System
Structure
System Boundary
Classification of Systems:
S stems

Open System
Feedback / Closed System
Positive feedback system
Negative feedback system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Objective

By the end of this lesson you should be

able to draw and define a system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

1. System

Definition: System is a grouping of

components or parts that operate together for
a common purpose
A system is a part of some potential reality
where we are concerned with space-time
p
effects and causal relationship among parts of
the system
A system may include people as well as
physical parts

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

System as a black box

We define a system to be a closed world

where we clearly separate items that are
integral parts of the system from items
that can affect the system from the
outside

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of System: Family

Family is a system for living and raising

children

Picture source: or.ucr.edu

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of System: Automobile

Automobile is a system of components

that work together to provide
transportation

Picture Source:

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of System: Warehouse

A warehouse and loading platform is a

system for delivering goods into trucks

Picture Source:
http://www.rrii.com/images/Arlington_Warehouse_Pic.gif

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of System: management

Management is a system of people for

allocating resources and regulating the
activity of business

Picture source: http://www.ingres.com/images/about/group-pic-management.jpg

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of System: Web

Web is an ecosystem
S t
Systems
within
ithi the
th web
b

eBay
Blogosphere
Digg
Flickr
MySpace

Picture source:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/W
orldWideWebAroundWikipedia.png/800pxWorldWideWebAroundWikipedia.png

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Discussion & Exercise

Can you find other system?

Wh t are the
What
th components
t off th
the system?
t ?
What is the purpose of the system?

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

2. Structure

Definition: A structure is effective

interelation and interpretation of our
observation in any field of knowledge
Without an organizing structure,
knowledge is mere collection of
observations, practices and conflicting
incidents
Structure determines behaviour

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Interacting Components

Any specified behavior of a system must

be produced by a combination of the
interacting components.
Those components lie within a boundary
that defines and encloses the system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of Structure: Physics

The law of Physics is a structure to

interrelate our many observations about
nature.
This structure of physical knowledge is
the foundation of todays technology

Picture source:
http://oz.irtc.org/ftp/pub/stills/1997-08-31/physics.jpg

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of Structure: System Management

Management system is a structure to

unify the diverse manifestation of
psychological, industrial and economic
processes

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Causal Thinking

Causal thinking is the key to organizing

ideas
Instead of cause, affect or influence
can be used to describe the related
components in the system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Understand Cause & Effect

Some are logical (e.g. physics)

Food intake weight
Money happiness
Fire smoke
Some are not ((e.g.
g sociology,
gy, economics))
Use of seatbelts reduced highway
fatalities
Shortened daylight hours increased
suicide rates

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

3. System Boundary

Where is the boundary, that

encompasses the smallest number of
components, within which the dynamic
behavior under study is generated?

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Self-contained system

Self-Contained System: nothing flow in

and out of system

Most system
y
are not self-contained
They function in an environment that
affect their behavior

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Difficulty in defining Boundary

1. Difficult to decide at what level the

various sub systems should be detailed

Subopmitization: decision that optimize

behavior of a sub system but that are less

optimal for the system as a whole

2. Difficult because of interaction and

2
overlapping parts with other system
3 Difficult
3.
Diffi lt to
t d
define
fi the
th linkage
li k
with
ith the
th
environment

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Closed System

In concept, a feedback system is a closed

system.
system
Its dynamic behavior arises within its
internal structure
Any interaction which is essential to the
behavior mode being investigated must
be included inside the system boundary

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Building Blocks

Within the system boundary the basic

building block is the feedback loops
loops.
Interconnection of feedback loops form a
system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

4. Classification of System

System can be classified into

Open system
O
t
Feedback (closed) system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

4a. Open System

An open system is one characterized by

output that respond to inputs but where
the outputs are isolated from and have
no influence on the input

It is not aware of (observe and react to ) its

own performance
Its past action does
d
not controll future
f
action

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of Open system: Watch

A watch, taken by itself, is an open

system because it does not observe its
own inccuracy and adjust itself

Picture source: http://www.37signals.com/svn/images/watch-panel.jpg

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example of Open System: Car

A car is an open system which by itself is

not governed by where it has gone in the
past nor does it have a goal of where to
go in the future

Picture source: http://www.global-rental.com

p
g

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Discussion: open system

Can you find other open system?

E l i why
Explain
h do
d you think
thi k it is
i an open
system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

4b. Feedback System

It is also called Closed System

A feedback system has a closed loop structure
that bring the results from past action of the
system back to control future action

Feedback system control action is influenced by the

results of its own previous action or past behavior
Its past action control present and future action

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Feedback Loop

Well conceived systems contain feedack loop.

Feedback involves monitoring the actual
behavior of a system and comparing its
behavior to standards
Information about deviation from standard is
transmitted to the appropriate point in the
system so that effective action can be taken

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Category of Feedback System

There are two classes of feedback

system:

Positive feedback: growth

N
Negative
ti ffeedback:
db k goall seeking
ki

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

4b1. Positive Feedback System

Positive feedback generates growth

processes wherein action builds a results
that generate still greater action
It is in the positive feedback form of
system structure that one finds the forces
of growth

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example (+) Feedback System

Bacteria multiply to produce more bacteria

which increase the rate at which new bacteria
are generated

Picture source:
http://www.scharfphoto.com/fine_art_p
rints/archives/199812-053-SoilBacteria.jpg

In this positive feedback system the generation

of new bacteria depends on the bacteria
accumulated from past growth of bacteria

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

4b2. Negative Feedback System

Negative feedback system seeks a goal

and responds as a consequence of failing
to achieve the goal
It is in the negative feedback, or goal
seeking, structure of systems that one
finds the causes of fluctuation and
instability

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example (-) Feedback System: AC

Air conditioning system of a house is controlled

byy a thermostat which reponds
p
to the heat
previously produced by the AC

Picture source:
http://www.rd.com/images/tfhimport/2001/May01_Air_Conditioner_Cl
ean/20010501_Air_Conditioner_Clean_page002img001_size2.jpg

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

AC (cont)

Because the heat already produced by

the system controls the forthcoming
generation of heat, the AC system
represent a negative feedback that seeks
the goal of proper temperature

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Example (-) Feedback System

A watch and its owner form a negative

feedback system when the watch is
compared with the correct time as a goal
of proper time and is adjusted to
eliminate error

Picture source:
http://www.geekologie.com/2007/12/10/imobile-watch-phone.jpg

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

View Point

Whether a system should be classified as an

open system or a feedback system is not
intrinsic to the particular assembly of parts but
depend
p
on the observers view p
point in defining
g
the purpose of the system
You can always broaden the scope and purpose
of the system to change from open to feedback
system and from feedback to open system

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Review Classification of Systems

System:

O
Open
system:
t
Past action does not control future action

Feedback or Close systems:

Past action controls future action

Positive feedback loop

Negative
g
feedback loop
p

Depend on observers viewpoint

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Summary

You have learned in this lesson about

System
S
t
System
S
System
System

thi
thinking
ki
definition
structure
boundary

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Discussion & Exercise: System Structure

Please select any system that interesting

for your group
Can you draw the system structure?
Specify the parts or components of
system as variables of the system
Then draw arrow to connect the influence
part to the other part
p
of one p

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Discussion: Boundary

Define from your system:

How th
H
the variables
i bl influence
i fl
other
th variable?
i bl ?
Is it a closed or open system?
C you find
Can
fi d some feedback
f db k loop?
l
?
Can you draw the system boundary (to make
it a closed
l
d system)?
t )?

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Discussion Points

Define from your system:

System boundary
Is it open or feedback system?
Variables in the system
How the variable influence other variable
Can you change viewpoint to form feedback
loops
Keep your discussion for next week

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Tips

When there is a double arrow in the influence

line it indicates there are more variables inside
line,
that have not been specified
Select variables that can be measured
quantitativelyy (by
q
( y anyy means))
Influence should be able to be measured as
direct effect (increase or decrease). Indirect
effect indicates lack of variables in between

Kardi Teknomo, PhD

Tips

Change level of details of some variables to

obtain feedback loop (change viewpoint)