It seems like we encounter systems everywhere. Our computer systems. Communication systems. Production systems. Order management systems. Etc. On the surface this might seem like a "buzzword" getting a lot of overwork, but in reality systems have been around for a long time and are now being recognized as a powerful framework for understanding how complex environments work.

Systems have inputs and outputs separated by a process in the middle. When we more fully understand what we want for eventual outcomes (the output), what we have to work with as resources (the inputs) and the processes needed to convert the inputs into outputs, we can more consciously optimize these processes to increase efficiencies as well as increase reliability. Think of it this way ... when designing a house you can be overwhelmed thinking about all of the bedrooms, baths, basement, etc. aspects of the house. But choosing a room at a time, like the master bathroom, allows us to focus on the details like tile, layout, sink design, etc. that are needed to get it just as we want. The same is true for a complex system - you have to break it into manageable pieces to refine the details but never lose track of the impact that these pieces can have on the overall system performance. Pay attention to the details while never losing focus on the ultimately desired outcomes.

Finding this balance between detail and overall performance is an ongoing process. After we choose to model a system we can find that it takes on a life of its own. I've seen environments where preserving and optimizing the system became so important that evaluating whether the overall system achieved its intended purpose got lost along the way. Adding to all of this is the reality that systems do not exist in a vacuum and instead are acted upon by an uncontrolled external environment as well.

Discuss the following and make sure to read at least 5 of your fellow student posts and thenreply thoughtfully to at least two of your fellow students:

1. Do you agree that absolute control of a system, such as an organization, is not possible?

2. How would you evaluate whether an organizational system was achieving its intended goals?

3. Discuss the possibility that optimizing the system can take on a life of its own and how you would protect your organization from getting lost on this path.

4. Discuss whether it makes sense to divide the overall system, with overall inputs and outputs, into smaller sub-systems each with its own input and output? How would you go about creating this type of system understanding? How would you keep it current and monitor its effectiveness?