RE: The Denlist significance

["Vic Forte" <vicforte@lineone.net>]

> I cannot agree with the statement that people are separate from
> the system.

General systems theory provides a very simple and elegant way of looking at
the issue of people and systems. It lies in the concept that there are
different orders of system.

At the lowest order are to be found simple systems like, for instance, a
house, or a hose pipe connected to a tap.

At a higher order are systems that include feedback, such as a shower with a
thermostat.

At a higher order still are systems that are able to choose their purpose. A
thermostat has its purpose given to it. A higher order system would be able
to decide what the best temperature was in the first place.

At a higher order still are systems capable of learning and redesigning
themselves.

The choice of purpose according to values and free will are a characteristic
of human beings.

The capability of learning and self-redesign are a property of the human
mind and human social systems.

The famous systems diagram of Deming is a excellent example of a system
capable of redesigning itself in pursuit of aims that are self determined.

> Reducing variation in systems and not in people is the
> challenge.  People are separate from the system yet the most valuable
> contribution to each system.

My reading of this point was that "people are separate from the system" only
in the sense of variation i.e. that variation in people is a given and that
one should not attempt to reduce the variation in people. (I'm sorry if I
have got this wrong).

It is my personal belief that there is no such thing as a person outside of
a system. The very definition of "person" is "a person in a situation". You
cannot separate people from the environment and relationships in which they
exist. So to talk about variation in people in isolation from the system is
by definition without meaning.

In this context, the concept of the "black box" is a good tool for looking
at this. In complex systems, the contents of the black box is a system of
people and entities that are not people. You can see the black box, if you
like as the complex of people and the situation in which they are placed.
This could be an individual person in a situation, or a team of people, an
organisation or a society. What goes on inside the black box is defined as
inaccessible to a person who is outside - the coach, the manager the
teacher.

The black box has inputs and outputs. It capable of learning because one of
its inputs is the feedback resulting from its own actions which it compares
with intrinsic goals.

The outputs of the black box are known, The environment of the black box is
known and to a large extent within our control. The inputs to the black box
are also within our control. We can observe the behaviours of the black box
in its external environment (the higher level system).

The black box can be seen as having intrinsic motivation. It can be seen as
pursuing its own goals.

By studying the outputs of the black box and its behaviours we can make
assumptions about its goals, and build models about what is going on
inside - but we can never really know for sure.

Depending upon our own position relative to the black box, we can adjust
some of the material and information inputs, aspects of the environment and
to some extent what the black box learns in such a way as to attempt to
reduce variation in output. Since the black box has intrinsic goals, it is
clear that the attempt to reduce variation is a co-operative venture between
us ( the outside coach or helper ) and the black box. It may also need help
in clearly formulating a language in which it can discuss itself, its
identity and its goals.

The black box is very difficult to control. All sorts of factors work
towards creating variation in output. There is a systems law (Ashby's Law of
Requisite Variety) which demonstrates that control always involves loss of
information between the controlling and controlled systems. This is vary
similar to Shewhart's concept of the unknowability inherent in common cause
variation.

The internals (processes and components) of the black box give rise to
common cause variation. This is reduced by redesign of black box itself,
and, you will remember that high order systems are capable of redesigning
themselves. The black box will redesign itself if it is intrinsically
motivated to do so and to ask for help from outside itself.

Special causes can be seen as special information or signals about the state
of the black box and its relationship to its environment.


Best Wishes
Vic Forte
vic@vichara.f9.co.uk