Successful System
In modern systems thinking, the concept of a “successful system” is introduced through project roles, subjects of interest, and role interests.
A system is considered successful if it takes into account the role interests of all external and internal project roles. The project team identifies all interested project roles and tries to determine all possible subjects of interest. After that, they consider the preferences of the identified roles regarding the corresponding subjects of interest. Then, the team decides which project roles’ role interests will be addressed during the creation of the system[1].
The mental technique here is to account for (count) the maximum number of roles and their subjects of interest, but only the role interests (preferences) of those roles selected by the team will be addressed. It is impossible to satisfy all role interests. There is not enough time or resources for that. However, by considering everything and addressing only the main subjects of interest and the corresponding role interests, the team “puts its own skin in the game” and takes on risks—that is, it understands what costs it may incur. This is precisely why the team needs the transdiscipline of ethics[2].
For example, the team may take into account the buyer’s role interest in a low price, but it is not obligated to satisfy this preference. For instance, after analyzing this role interest, the team may decide to set a price higher than the preferred one. By setting a certain price, the team may miscalculate and bear responsibility for it in the form of lost profits or a reduced market share. In such decisions, it is impossible to make a fatal mistake, but ordinary mistakes are inevitable. An important technique here is to formulate hypotheses and pursue continuous development[3].
It is important to note that the team is obligated not only to choose which preferences to consider, but also to strive to identify all possible subjects of interest. Moreover, these are not only, and not primarily, financial.
Notice that in your projects, the subjects of interest most often discussed are profit, deadlines, and quality. This means that certain project roles are expressing their role interests[4]. From a systems thinking perspective, we cannot call a system successful if only these role interests are addressed. After all, if a system, for example, can harm human health, the company will suffer in the future.
So, first, the team identifies all possible project roles and their subjects of interest. Then, it considers each role interest and decides what to do with it: address it or not? This is a conscious decision for which the team is responsible. The team puts its “skin in the game” when it determines the list of project roles whose role interests will be worked through in the project and ultimately addressed in the system.
Some role interests the team may decide not to address. But if the team has worked through all the subjects of interest and preferences, then they have been considered. However, not all of them may be addressed. To consider and to address are different things.
In the diagram above, you can see how systems thinking proposes to achieve a successful system. Keep in mind that behind every word in this diagram lies a great deal of work. In this course, we will discuss all these concepts and the actions that project roles must take to achieve a successful system.
At the same time, the project involves several systems at once, which is where the complexity lies—you need to avoid getting confused by the various subjects of interest. ↩︎
And the larger your market or the more complex the system, the greater the need for professional philosophers who practice applied ethics. For example, why it is necessary to consider the interests of environmentalists but not the interests of workers. This is discussed in more detail in the ethics course. ↩︎
We apply the principle of incremental development (based on probing and experimentation) instead of following a predetermined and strictly planned life cycle. ↩︎
They prefer higher profits, shorter deadlines, and higher quality. ↩︎