Systemantics

Systemantics“How Systems Really Work, And How They Fail”

What is a System?Bertalanffy: General Systems TheorySelf regulating feedback loop that maintain cohesiveness.

ExamplesImmune SystemComputer ProgramsCompaniesHuman CultureEcosystems

System “Antics”Heat Sensitive elevator call buttons! Calls the elevator to where theres a fire.Three Mile Island has many alarm lights! “Reactor coolent low” next to “elevator stuck” light.Phone System auto-recovers! Crashes from all systems recovering at once.

FIRST LAW OF SYSTEMS

SELF-PRESERVATION

No matter the stated goal of the system... ...Systems protect themselves first.

SYSTEMS IN GENERAL WORK ONLY AS WELL AS THEY NEED TO.

A crappy system with strong self-preservation instincts beats a great system.

THE SYSTEM ALWAYS KICKS BACK

Systems usually treat change as a threat and reject or resist it.

PEOPLE IN SYSTEMS DO NOT DO WHAT THE SYSTEM SAYS THEY ARE DOING

Once the system is known, bugs in the systemcan be exploited, typically by the people working there.

THE MODE OF FAILURE OF A COMPLEXSYSTEM CANNOT BE DETERMINED FROM ITS STRUCTURE

Total system collapse usually happens as a result of a bunch of interrelated components.

COMPLEX SYSTEMS ACT UNEXPECTEDLY

Even when in normal operation, its not by the same logic that an outsider would use.

A COMPLEX SYSTEM THAT WORKS USUALLY EVOLVES FROM A SIMPLE SYSTEM THAT WORKS.

Craigslist is a great example of this.

NEW SYSTEMS GENERATE NEW PROBLEMS

Systems arent bound to act in the best interests of their creators.

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Systemantics

by William Sargent

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Systemantics

by William Sargent

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Systemantics Presentation Transcript

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