SocioTechnical Systems

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Socio-Technical Systems
2
Software systems

• A system is a purposeful collection of
  interrelated components that work together to
  achieve some objective

3
Software systems (cont.)

• Technical computer-based systems hardware and
  software (TV, Cell phone, Word Processor)
• Socio-technical system technical system
  knowledge of goals to achieve (operational
  processes people involved)

4
Socio-technical systems

• Contain emergent properties inherent to the
  system as a whole.
• Are non-deterministic
• The extent of support to organizational
  objectives does not depend on the system itself

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Emergent systems properties

• Functional emergent properties all the part of
  the system working together towards a particular
  goal (ex. Bicycle gt transportation)
• Non-functional emergent properties behavior of
  the system in its operational environment.
  Failure of one may not render the system usable

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Non-functional emergent properties

• Volume (space)
• Reliability (hardware/software/operator)
• Security (from foreign attacks)
• Reparability (easiness to fix a problem)
• Usability (easiness of use)

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Systems engineering process
System Decommissioning
Requirements Definition
System Design
System Evolution
Sub-system development
System Installation
System integration
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System design process
Define sub-system interfaces
Partition requirements
Identify sub-systems
Specify sub-system functionality
Assign requirements to sub-systems
See also Figure 2.5 (page 29)
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Additional Reading

• Organizations, people and computer systems (2.3)
• Legacy systems (2.4)