Our AI team take a deep dive into Joseph Kasser and Bruce Lerner’s pdf handout “Resolving the-8.pdf” for a presentation aimed at a focused discussion in an INCOSE Oak Café meeting in 2024 analyzes the inconsistent definitions of “system” in literature.
The authors examine numerous definitions, revealing a lack of consensus stemming from the context-dependent nature of “system”.
They propose focusing on the System of Interest (SOI) instead, arguing that this clarifies the ambiguity by specifying the system under discussion. The document illustrates this using examples, such as a camera system, emphasizing the importance of clearly defining the SOI for effective analysis. Ultimately, the authors advocate for a shift in terminology and approach to improve clarity and resolve the ongoing debate on exactly what constitutes a “system”.
The presentation may be found at https://youtu.be/0yOvbx7MUEE