The project as a system

 

The project as a system:

A project is concerned with creating a new system and or transforming an old one and it itself a system.

System , Subsystem and environments

A simple definition of the term system is ‘a set of interrelated parts’. A system will normally be part of a larger system and will itself comprise subsystems.

Outside the system there will be the system’s environment. This will be made up of things that can affect the system but over which the system has no direct control.

Open versus closed systems: Open systems are those that interact with the environment. Nearly all system are open. One reason that engineered systems and the projects to construct them often fail is that the technical staff involved do not appreciate the extent to which system are open and are liable to be affected by outside changes.

Sub-optimization : This is where a subsystem is working at its optimum but is having a detrimental effect on the overall system. As example of this might be where software developers deliver to the users a system that is very efficient in its use of machine resources, but is also very difficult to modify.

Socio-technical systems: Software projects belong to this category of systems. Any software project requires both technological organization and also the organization of people. Software project managers therefore need to have both technical competence and the ability to interact persuasively with other people.

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