Terminoglogy Flashcards
Definition: System
A system is a set of entities and their relationship (they interact or are interrelated), whose functionality is greater than the sum of the individual entities.
Definition: Entities
Parts, modules, routines, assemblies, pieces that make up the whole
Definition: product
A product is something that is, or has the potential to be, exchanged. A product is not a system. Example rice is a product not a system. A solar system is not a product.
Definition: architecture
An abstract description of the entities of a system and the relationship between those entities
Definition: emergence
Emergence refers to what appears, materializes, or. Surfaces when a system operates
Definition: function
What the system does. It’s actions, outcomes, or outputs. Consists of a process and an operand. Ex. Cars transport people.
Definition: performance
Performance is how well a system operates or executes its function. Ex. How quickly can a car transport its people.
Definition: “ilitities”
Emergence valued that emerge over the lifecycle of the system. Reliability, maintainability, operability, safety, and robustness.
Definition: emergency
Unanticipated and undesirable emergence
Definition: value
Benefit (worth, importance’s, utility) at cost.
Definition: form
What the system is. Physical or informational embodiment that exists or has the potential to exist. Form has shape, configuration, arrangement, or layout.
Definition: process
Process is the part of the function that is pure action or transformation. Transformation applied to one or more objects. Oval in the OPM
Definition: operand
The operand is the thing whose state is changed by that process. Rectangle in OPM
Decomposition
Breaking a system into smaller pieces of form
Aggregation
Collecting pieces into the form of a system. Opposite of decomposition
Distinct elements/entities
Discrete entities brought together and defined as a system. Fleet of ships, forest of trees, library of books
Modular elements/entities
Modules are relatively independent. Lots of internal relationships. Relationships between modules exist but less.
Integral systems
Cannot be easily divided with their function intact. Steering mechanism (tires, wheels, suspension, steering gears, steering column) which is part of other systems like ride quality and drive.
Context
Surrounds the system. Entities that are just on the outside of the system but are relevant to it
Formal relationships aka structure
Is a set of formal relations among the entities of form of a system. Shows where the elements of form are located and how they’re connected.
formal structural relationship
relationships that are strictly descriptions between elements of form. NOT relationships that are descriptions of functional interactions between objects of form while operating
spatial/topological
a type of way to describe a formal structural relationship where you reference the relative spatial location or topology (how they’re arranged) contained, surrounded by, encompasses, encircles, overlaps, shares part of, adjacent to, touches, separated from, near, far
connectivity
a type of way to describe a formal structural relationship where you reference to assembling process (bonded to, welded to, coldered to, glued to, bolted to, pressed against, inserted, is compiled with,
Object Process Diagram (OPD)
Rectangles with arrows describing its relation
Design System Matrix
N x N matrix where each object is a row/column entry
product/system boundary
stuff in your system. What you’re responsible for.
Whole product system
some stuff outside the system to help deliver the value. You don’t make it. What the customer considers what you’re accountable for.
Use Context
Includes system, whole product system, and other stuff. It doesn’t not interface with the objects. Provides the context. Not necessary for it to deliver the value. Helps you figured out what’s important. (you do the fridge, but you know fridges are usually in the kitchen which would have a microwave, stove, etc.)
Value
benefit at cost
benefit
driven by functional externally delivered across the interface
cost
driven by the design of the form
