System in everything
System is a technical word mostly used by technologists and academic people when they want study the functionality of certain things. It is also used by high educated people in research, design and technology. But this word sounds intimidating to the public, as they tend to misuse it. The public views it as complicated things like computer systems and leadership that is controlling or blocking people to achieve what they want.
Simply system means this: everything that exists is made of many parts assembled together (components, elements…). System is how each part (from that thing assembled) is performing individual task, and contribute its performance with other parts, which become the common performance and the purpose of that mentioned thing as a whole.
Let’s make it easier to understand: A system is like a group of things. But must be working together as a mechanism.
Let’s use examples to explain it:
The above image is a car jack. It is used to lift a car when they want to change a tyre, or to work underneath the car. So, its purpose is to lift a car.
It is made by 8 main parts which are the base (1), green arms (2), power screw (4), support power screw (3), jack head seat (5), head (10), jack handle (12), and bolts and nuts.
- Each part has own task to do (they are marked with numbers and colors).
- Each part is directly and indirectly supporting others.
- All parts share their performances, and combine them together, as it becomes the purpose of the whole jack.
The base supports all other parts, the arms lift up with the mechanism of power screw and support power screw.
Using this above example; system will be how power screw (4) perform its own task which is to turn and bring both support power screws (3) together or appart, then other parts also are performing their own tasks but together as one jack.
So, all convert their purposes into one useful car jack that can lift a car.
Example 2: 4 colors ballpoint pen
4 colours ballpoint pen is made of many parts (see image above). Each part has own task. Example: No 4 are the ink cartridges that contain 4 different colors. No 3 are 4 springs that are in charge to push down and retract the cartridges when they are not needed. No 2 are cartridge supports that help in selection of colors one by one. The cover is used to cover inner parts and also help users to hold the pen comfortably.
Example 3: a chair
You can also see how this chair is made of many wooden parts assembled together. Each part has own task but all come together to make an useful chair that someone can use to sit and relax.
System elements
System elements are basic parts that constitute something. When these parts/ elements are grouped together in the subgroups, they are called subsystems. Depending on the type of creation many words are used to describe its elements. In manufacturing, they are called “parts”, in the business they are called “Items”, in the measurements they are called “units”, in the human body they are called “organs”, when it is a device, they are called “components”, when they are first grouped in the small groups they are called “subsystems”. In the society they are called “members”, etc.
Motivation to create or make something
The motivation to make something comes from the desire. When you need something, that’s when you look for it. You can make it, you can borrow it and you can buy it, but you cannot make something you don’t need. First it takes your space, energy and time. Nobody wants to waste.
That desire will push you to make plans how you will get it.
Example:
- I can get a visitor. If I don’t have a seat to give them, a desire to own a seat for visitors will immediately form itself in my heart.
- Then my mind will not rest thinking how to get one. Then maybe I will get ideas how I can one it.
- My thoughts or ideas can end up into actions. Then I make a chair or I buying it or borrowing from my friends.
- When I get it and I use it for what I desired, it will satisfy me. This will also lead me into satisfactions.
- Sometimes my satisfaction can lead me into re-desiring more things. Then I repeat the same process which is reproduction because I need more than one thing.
So, creation or making things starts by having a desire for something, then ideas start to pop up in mind, which lead to actions to create it, then when you finish, this thing itself brings satisfaction to satisfy the initial desire. You can reproduce it also if you need more satisfaction in a different stage called Reproduction.
Desires, Ideas, Actions, Satisfactions (and reproduction) leads one to make or create something.
The initial desires that pushed me to make something must be equal to satisfaction I get when I get it.
We can write it mathematically: 1
1 means 100% satisfaction. So, its quality must be 100% to satisfy me.
Notes: All things that surrounds you were created, made or manufactured. Nothing that was made without a purpose. All things are made to be used.
Assignment 3:
Look around you; identify anything. Think how and why it was made and its purpose. Describe how that thing achieve its purpose through the parts that makes it.
Assignment
Look around you; everything you see is made this way: it is made of many parts.
List all the parts, then identify the purpose of each part.
Identify how these parts are connected to others or how they help each other. Then see how all come together and become one thing which is what you have chosen to observe.
