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

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

Examples
Immune System
Computer Programs
Companies
Human Culture
Ecosystems

System “Antics”
Heat Sensitive elevator call buttons!
Calls the elevator to where there's 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 system
can be exploited, typically by the people working
there.

THE MODE OF FAILURE OF A COMPLEX
SYSTEM 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, it's 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 aren't bound to act in the best interests
of their creators.