The Butterfly Test
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The document discusses systems theory and its relationship to software testing. It provides an overview of general systems theory and 18 disciplines that contribute to it, including cybernetics, information theory, and complexity theory. It then reviews some of the history around the development of systems theory concepts in the 20th century. Finally, it poses 6 fundamental questions about whether systems theory is used in software design, if emergent systems behaviors occur in software, if software testing is already part of systems theory, and if new testing techniques or quality perspectives may be needed.
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The Butterfly Test
- 1. The Butterfly Test Perspectives on Systems Theory and Software Testing
- 5. General System Theory (1968)
- 6. 18 Disciplines • Cybernetics • Theory of automata • Set theory • Information theory • Communication theory • Decision theory • Game theory • Complexity theory • Dynamical systems theory • Chaos theory • Hierarchy theory • Network theory • Probability theory • Possibility theory • System dynamics • Social systems theory • Control systems theory • Artificial intelligence
- 7. A bit of history 20th century • Andrey Markov – Markov chain (1906) • Alan Turing - Turing machines (1936) • John von Neumann - Game theory (1944) • Norbert Wiener - Cybernetics (1948) • Claude Shannon - Communication theory (1948) • Talcott Parsons - The Social System (1951) • Stanford Goldman - Information Theory (1953) • William Ross Ashby – An Introduction to Cybernetics (1956) • Jay Forrester - Industrial Dynamics (1961) • Edward Lorenz - Deterministic Nonperiodic Flow (1963) • Ludwig von Bertalanffy - General System Theory (1968)
- 8. Some fundamental questions question 1 We’re doing great without Systems theory so why bother at all?
- 9. Aspects of systems • Non-lineair • Causal loop • Feedback loop • Homeostasis (self-regulation) • Autopoiesis (self-creation) • Equilibrium • (Non-)deterministic behavior • Deviation-amplifying behavior • Purposeful behavior • Equifinality • Emergence • Co-evolution • (Requisite) variety • Probabalistic design
- 10. Some fundamental questions question 2 Is Systems theory used in the design of software?
- 11. Some fundamental questions question 3 Even if system aspects are not designed, they may still emerge. So what about software behavior?
- 12. Some fundamental questions question 4 Isn’t software (testing) already an integral part of Systems theory?
- 13. Some fundamental questions question 5 Do we need new software testing techniques, new ways of experimenting on software?
- 14. Some fundamental questions question 6 Do we need new perspectives on software (systems) quality?
Editor's Notes
- Why this presentationI started thinking about systems about a year ago, we test systems all the time, yet Systems Theory is seldom referenced.I am looking for ways to use Systems Theory in software investigation, experimentation.
- Feedback loopsNice diagrams but hardly a solid basis from which to start designing testsNot looking for loops, stock and delays in software systemsNot looking for points of leverage.Applied to management, which is not software testing, not experimentation.Jurgen Appelo, management thinking.Meadows: zen-like thinking, software testing is not about Buddhism.
- Systems Theory in popular culture:Butterfly effectForest and the treesTip of the icebergA new kind of science
- Developed in 1930’s, biology is investigating parts that do not tell us a lot about the whole (human body)Aspects that sciences have in common, a common languageBased on mathematical laws.Not looking at parts, looking at the whole
- Meadows & Senge are in System dynamics, which is a small part of Systems theoryThis is the solid groudn we can build on.
- Thinking about systems may have started with AristotleControl Theory was important in the 19th century
- Do we actually need to look towards Systems theory for some kind of resque?Are many bugs slipping through?
- Point of view on software systemsAutonomy of systems
- We already have graph theory, state transition testing, use case testingDoes the evaluation of current software systems call for new types of tests.Systems theory is used (graph theory, network theory, hierarchy theory, but in a linear way!
- We already have graph theory, state transition testing, use case testingDoes the evaluation of current software systems call for new types of tests.