Chapter 5: System Characteristics in a Technological System Context

Major Topics

Some specific types of features or behaviors often appear in systems and are considered characteristics of systems.

Distinctive features of systems include the concepts of emergence, hierarchies, dynamic behaviors, feedback, homeostasis, critical path and nonlinearity.

The distinctive features of systems can be found in technological systems.

Chapter 5 Overview

• This chapter focuses on some distinctive characteristics of systems. How these system features appear in technological systems is emphasized.

• Systems exhibit characteristic behaviors. Technological systems demonstrate these behaviors in distinctive ways. System behavior is emergent.

• The action of technological systems emerges from the interactions of the system components.

• Unanticipated emergent system behaviors are possible due to unexpected effects and interactions. Systems are hierarchical. 

• A technological system can be viewed as a set of sub-systems. What is viewed as a system in one context might be considered a component in another circumstance.

• Systems are dynamic. The transformation of the inputs into the outputs when the system is operating demonstrates the dynamic nature of technological systems.

• Systems frequently contain feedback or flows loops within the system that can influence system dynamic behavior. Technological systems frequently employ feedback often in the automatic control of system operation.

• Systems including technological systems of interacting components can exhibit nonlinear behavior such that a change in output occurs that is not in simple proportion changes in inputs.

• Some systems have a complex internal component structure, multimodal operation, and multifaceted interactions and dependences on other systems.

• Characterizations and models of such systems will necessarily be a simplification based on the most significant elements and consequential interactions.