System Design Modeling and Metamodeling
This book is a venture in the worlds of modeling and of metamodeling. At this point, I will not reveal to readers what constitutes metamodeling. Suf fice it to say that the pitfalls and shortcomings of modeling can be cured only if we resort to a higher
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SYSTEM DESIGN MODELING AND METAMODELING John P. van Gigch California State University Sacramento, California
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
L i b r a r y o f Congress C a t a l o g i n g - i n - P u b l i c a t i o n
Data
Van G1gch. John P. System design modeling and m e t a m o d e l i n g / John P. van G i g c h . p. cm. I n c l u d e s b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l r e f e r e n c e s and i n d e x . ISBN 978-1-4899-0678-6 1 . S o c i a l s c i e n c e s - - M a t h e m a t i c a l models. 2 . System a n a l y s i s . 3. Decision-making. I. Title. H 6 1 . 2 5 . V 3 6 1991 003--dc20 91-16229 CIP
ISBN 9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 9 9 - 0 6 7 8 - 6 DOI 1 0 . 1 0 0 7 / 9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 9 9 - 0 6 7 6 - 2
ISBN 9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 9 9 - 0 6 7 6 - 2 (eBook)
© 1 9 9 1 Springer Science+Business Media New York Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1991 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1991
All rights reserved N o part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, w i t h o u t written permission from the Publisher
To create an artifact, the designer needs to be a scientist to model reality, an epistemologist to metamodel the design process, and an artist to contemplate the result.
SYSTEM DESIGN METAMODELING
I MODELING
REAL WORLD
SYSTEM DESIGN
Preface
This book is a venture in the worlds of modeling and of metamodeling. At this point, I will not reveal to readers what constitutes metamodeling. Suffice it to say that the pitfalls and shortcomings of modeling can be cured only if we resort to a higher level of inquiry called metainquiry and metadesign. We reach this level by the process of abstraction. The book contains five chapters from my previous work, Applied General Systems Theory (Harper and Row, London and New York, First Edition 1974, Second Edition 1978). More than ten years after its publication, this material still appears relevant to the main thrust of system design. This book is dedicated to all those who are involved in changing the world for the better. In a way we all are involved in system design: from the city manager who struggles with the problems of mass transportation or the consolidation of a city and its suburbs to the social worker who tries to provide benefits to the urban poor. It includes the engineer who designs the shuttle rockets. It involves the politician engaged in drafting a bill to recycle containers, or one to prevent pesticide contamination of our food. The politician might even need system design to chart his or her own re-election campaign. I believe that system design is of relevance to the medical staff of a hospital which has been asked to cut costs, as well to workers involved in designing protocols to fight new diseases. System design is certainly important to those of us in education who have to master critical thinking skills and apply them to shape other minds. System design should be of relevance to both, har
