On Viable Service Systems: Developing a Modeling Framework for Analysis of Viability in Service Systems

Arash Golnam, Gil Regev and Alain Wegmann

IESS 1.1 Feb 16-18, 2011 Geneva

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Simplicity

Solvability

Idealism

Insolvability

Realism

Complexity

Real World of Problems

World of Models

Why Model? Communication

Analysis Synthesis

Simplification

Decision Making

Design

Optimization

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Organized Complexity

Disorganized Complexity

Organized Simplicity R

AN

DO

MN

ESS

COMPLEXITY

•  Living, open systems with irreducible wholes •  Wholes are more than sum of parts •  High interdependence parts that can not be

treated in isolation •  Properties of the system can not be inferred

from those of component sub-systems

Properties and Assumptions

What Models?

Problem Type

Wicked / ill Structured Methods of Inquiry

•  Reasoning: Informal reasoning and judgment •  Evidence: Intuitive perceived facts •  Generalizations: Quasi laws •  Models: Heuristic-based •  Explanations: Perceived causal relationships •  Predictions: Intuitive based on considerations

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Entities

Universe of Discourse

Reality

Modeler

Representation Domain

Modeling Constructs

How to Model?

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Universe of Discourse

•  Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) •  Viable Service System (VSS)

Universe of Discourse

Reality

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Conceptualizations

•  Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model (VSM)

•  General Systems Theory (GST)

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Conceptual Model

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Rep

rese

ntat

ion

Dom

ain

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Summary

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•  An integration of generic systems thinking principles into discipline-specific methods.

•  A methodology for business - IT alignment.

What is SEAM?

•  Developed in LAMS, EPFL. •  Applied for teaching and consulting since 2001 History

•  General Systems Theory •  Organizational cybernetics •  RM-ODP (A software engineering ISO standard)

Foundations

•  SEAM for Business •  SEAM for Enterprise Architecture •  SEAM for Software Engineering

Applications

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THANK YOU