There are natural and artificial systems. A system consisting of other systems is considered complex. This, for example, an apple or a tractor factory, a bee hive and writing a computer program. A system can be a process, object, phenomenon. Information is a means of describing systems.
Recognize the necessary data and evaluate their reliability - a system of knowledge and skills. Understand and evaluate - the quality of the intelligence of a specialist, the effectiveness of his knowledge and skills.
Depending on the angle of view and the goal achieved, a wide range of solutions can be obtained. Apple and Newton are an interesting short story, but only figuratively connected with the laws of gravity. Planets fly quietly and without visible energy costs, but people have not yet learned how to control the system of gravitational forces. The only thing science can do is overcome (and not use) gravitational forces by using huge energy resources.
Simple and complex systems
Amoeba is the simplest organism. But hard to believe school books. We can say: "Cobblestone on the road is not a system at all." But under a microscope, an amoeba quickly changes the mind of even a schoolboy. The amoeba’s life is eventful. The cobblestone may turn out to be a weapon in the hands of a warrior or a hammer to crack nuts.
Modern science claims: in an amoeba and cobblestone, it is easy to detect chemicals, molecules, atoms, electrons and elementary particles flying in orbits.
According to astronomers, the Earth is not the only planet in the Universe and similar ones exist in a huge system of galaxies.
All systems are simple on the same level. All systems are complex as soon as the researcher goes down a level or goes up a level.
Any of them is a point in space and time. Regardless of whether it is: artificial or natural.
Statics and dynamics
The factory building or the machine bed is stationary. The mountain is less mobile than the ocean at its foot. These are always complex dynamic systems. The plant building provides the necessary functionality for the normal work of the labor collective, machine tools, equipment, storage of materials and finished products. The bed guarantees the normal operation of the machine mechanisms. The mountain participates in the formation of the climate, “controls” the movement of the wind, and provides food and shelter to living organisms.
Depending on the point of view and the problem being solved, in any system one can separate the statics from the dynamics. This is an important procedure: models of complex systems are a process of systematizing data. The correct determination of the sources of information about the system, the assessment of their reliability and the determination of the real meaning is extremely important for building a model, on the basis of which a decision will be formed.
Consider an example. When building an enterprise management system, the building, machine tools and equipment are static. But this static requires dynamic maintenance. According to the technical documentation, the enterprise management system will have to have a service subsystem. Along with this, an accounting and control system for accounting, a planning and economic system will be developed. It will be necessary to determine the range of goals and objectives of the enterprise: strategy, development concept.
System structure
The purpose and structure of complex systems is the main task in modeling. There are many theories of systems. You can bring dozens of definitions of goals, characteristics, methods of analysis, and each will make sense.
Authoritative specialists in systems theory are enough to effectively solve modeling problems, but not enough to offer a conceptually complete theory of systems, their structure and methods for determining (developing) objective and reliable models.
As a rule, specialists manipulate the meaning that they put into terms: purpose, functionality, structure, state space, integrity, uniqueness. Graphic or block notations are used for the visual construction of models. The main thing is the text description.
It is important to understand what a complex system is in each case. The process of understanding is the dynamics of thinking of a specialist (team). It is impossible to fix the goal or structure of the system as something unshakable. Understanding the work being done is a dynamic. Everything that is understood freezes in statics, but it never hurts to revise the understanding achieved, to correct intermediate results.
A characteristic component of the structure is the data spectrum, its integrity, quantitative and qualitative description, internal and external methods of complex systems that they manipulate:
- for recognition of incoming information;
- analysis and generalization of own + external data;
- forming decisions.
A good example of system structure is programming. The end of the last century was marked by a transition from the concept of classical programming to object-oriented.
Objects and systems of objects
Programming is a complex system of thought processes. Programming is a highly qualified requirement that allows you to model at a conscious level. The programmer solves the real problem. He does not have time to analyze the program code at the processor level. The programmer works with an algorithm for solving the problem - this is the level of construction of the model.
Classical programming is an algorithm that sequentially solves a problem. In object-oriented programming, there are only objects that have methods for interacting with each other and the outside world. Each object can have data of complex structure, its own syntax and semantics.
Solving a problem through object-oriented programming, a programmer thinks with objects, and a complex system in his mind seems to be a combination of simpler ones. Every system consists of one or more objects. Each object has its own data and methods.
The result of the "object-oriented" programmer is a system of objects and no consistent algorithm. The system of objects itself functions as an object. The constituent objects fulfill only their purpose. No external algorithm tells a complex system what to do. Moreover, the objects that make it up are how to behave.
Point and point system
Pursuing the solution of practical problems, the specialist builds models. With experience comes the ability to see complex systems as points in space-time. These points are filled with unique and specific functionality. Systems "accept" the incoming information and give the expected result.
Each point includes a system of points, which should also be interpreted as systems. The reverse procedure, when the task to be solved is represented by a system of subtasks, and therefore imposes on the specialist a relatively systematic set of divided functions, will necessarily lead to inconsistencies in the solution.
There is only one beginning in any system, only it can be painted on subtasks that require solutions. When analyzing systems, all specialists use the terms:
- uniqueness;
- consistency;
- independence;
- interconnection of “internal functionalities”;
- system integrity.
The first and last is most important to apply at any stage of modeling work. Any complex system is an integral unique composition of subsystems. Which subsystems are included in the system - it does not matter. The main thing is that at each level there is integrity and uniqueness of functionality. Only focusing on the integrity and uniqueness of the system, as well as each of its subsystems, can we build an objective model of the task (system).
Knowledge and skills
The common phrase "no irreplaceable" is hopelessly outdated. Even simple work can be done intelligently with less effort, saving time and money.
Modeling and solving intellectual problems is an absolute requirement of high qualification. Both the modeling of a real system and the solution of a problem depend on a specialist. Different specialists will do their job in their own way. The results may differ only if the modeling is biased and the process of solving the problem is inaccurate.
Serious theoretical preparation, practical experience and the ability to think systematically determine the result of solving each problem. With an objective approach, each of them gives an accurate result, regardless of which specialist performed the work.