Systemantics. The Systems Bible

•At Fermi Number One Fast Breeder reactor in Monroe, Michigan, a special anti-meltdown device was installed to deal with the remote possibility of a meltdown.[b.] The anti-meltdown device failed, blocking the flow of molten sodium through the reactor core and initiating a meltdown sequence. [lvi] [c.] The student is invited to notice that the anti-

It was Parkinson who, with the delicious insight of the born historian, applied this Principle to Architecture, pointing out that PERFECTION OF PLANNING IS A SYMPTOM OF DECAY and providing us with a dazzling succession of examples including the Palace of Versailles (completed in time to receive the news of defeat at Blenheim), the League of Nations

The first thing to note is that talking to a System is not like talking to a person or even to a pet. The command, “Here, Spot!” can reliably be counted on to produce not merely an approach response of the four legs, but also appropriate accommodative reactions of head, ears, tail, and body. The whole dog hears and responds. If Spot chooses not to

Hireling’s Hypnosis: A trance-like state, a suspension of normal mental activity, induced by membership within a System. May strike at any time, afflicting anyone from chief officer to night watchman, and quite capable of jumping large distances to infect innocent bystanders.

When a System continues to do its own thing, regardless of circumstances, we may be sure it is acting in pursuit of inner goals. This observation leads us, by a natural extension, to the insight that SYSTEMS DEVELOP GOALS OF THEIR OWN THE INSTANT THEY COME INTO BEING Furthermore, it seems axiomatically clear that: INTRASYSTEM GOALS COME FIRST More

Trillium is happy as a Botanist, and never so happy as when he is elucidating the Life Cycle of an Angiosperm. But now his Chief is demanding Goals and Objectives. This is both disturbing and threatening. Trillium doesn’t want to think about his real goals and objectives; indeed, they are unknown to his conscious mind. He only knows he likes Botany

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT COMMUNICATE

EXPERIENCE ISN’T HEREDITARY—IT AIN’T EVEN CONTAGIOUS

Problem Avoidance is the strategy of avoiding head-on encounter with a stubborn Problem that does not offer a good point d’appui, or toe-hold. It is the most under-rated of all methods of dealing with Problems. Little wonder, for its practitioners are not to be found Struggling Valiantly against Staggering Odds, nor are they to be seen Fighting Blo

the very first principle of Systems-design is a negative one: DO IT WITHOUT A NEW SYSTEM IF YOU CAN The scholar will recognize this as Occam’s Razor in modern form: AVOID UNNECESSARY SYSTEMS (SYSTEMS SHOULD NOT BE MULTIPLIED UNNECESSARILY) Two immediate Corollaries, with significant implications for Management, are as follows: (I) DO IT WITH AN EXI