Nine innovative methods to think outside the box and solve complex system problems Managing Complex Systems provides specific tools and guidance needed to be a more creative and innovative thinker. Following the author's methodology, the reader will be better able to devise and implement nontraditional solutions to seemingly intractable complex problems. By challenging the reader to think in new and creative ways, the book offers a road map to success, whether measured in terms of competitive advantage, greater market share, improved productivity, or higher profits, all based upon better solutions to difficult problems. The first four chapters set the foundation for creative thinking by exploring the nature of large-scale systems and complexity, thinking inside and outside the box, and examples of how an inventive mind solves problems in both management and scientific domains. Subsequent chapters address nine focused methods that the author has formulated to help the reader think outside the box: * Broaden and generalize * Crossover * Question conventional wisdom * Back of the envelope * Expanding the dimensions * Obversity * Remove constraints * Thinking with pictures * Systems approach Real-life examples are provided for each method that demonstrate how the approach enhances problem solving and decision making in system development and management. Following the discussion of the nine methods, the author examines group decision making as well as additional creative thinking procedures devised by other researchers, including references that assist in exploring these methods in greater detail. The author ends with a wrap-up chapter that includes a test to help readers practice their tendencies toward creative thinking skills and action with respect to solving real-world problems. The nine methods discussed in this book have broad applicability and can be used successfully by managers with a wide range of responsibilities in business and technology. For anyone who is tired of the same old approach with the same old results, this book is essential reading.
Author(s): Dr. Howard Eisner
Series: Wiley Series in Systems Engineering and Management
Publisher: Wiley-Interscience
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 216
MANAGING COMPLEX SYSTEMS......Page 3
ABOUT THE AUTHOR......Page 4
Contents......Page 7
Preface......Page 11
1 Systems and Thinking......Page 15
1.1 Building and Managing Complex Systems......Page 16
1.2 Some Results of Thinking Outside the Box......Page 17
1.3 Thinking in Relation to Specific Issues......Page 18
References......Page 25
2 Building and Managing Systems......Page 27
2.1 Some Basics of Systems Engineering......Page 28
2.2 Some Basics of Project Management......Page 30
2.3 Complex Systems......Page 31
2.4 System of Systems Engineering......Page 35
References......Page 36
3 Problems to Ponder......Page 38
3.1 Problem Areas: Systems......Page 39
3.2 Problem Areas: People......Page 41
3.3 Problem Areas: Software......Page 43
3.4 Problem Areas: Management......Page 46
3.5 Summary......Page 48
References......Page 49
4 The Inventive Mind......Page 50
4.1 Management Thinking......Page 51
4.2 Scientific and Technical Thinking......Page 56
4.3 Not Everyone Is an Einstein (Or Needs To Be)......Page 58
References......Page 59
5 Perspective 1: Broaden and Generalize......Page 60
5.1 Architecting a Complex System......Page 61
5.2 Using Functional Decomposition to Explore Strategies......Page 63
5.3 System of Systems Engineering......Page 64
5.4 IBM’s View of the World......Page 65
5.5 Haloid’s Bold Steps......Page 66
5.7 Reinventing Yourself......Page 67
5.8 Summary: A Meeting......Page 68
References......Page 69
6 Perspective 2: Crossover......Page 71
6.2 Software Reuse......Page 72
6.3 Developer Off-the-Shelf Systems......Page 74
6.4 Accounting Firm Consultation......Page 75
6.5 Building and Managing New Systems......Page 76
6.6 Summary: A Meeting......Page 84
References......Page 86
7 Perspective 3: Question Conventional Wisdom......Page 88
7.1 Large and Complex Government Systems......Page 89
7.2 Conventional Wisdom Changes with the Times......Page 92
7.3 More Challengeable Conventional Wisdom......Page 95
7.4 Summary: Two Meetings......Page 96
References......Page 97
8 Perspective 4: Back of the Envelope......Page 99
8.2 Some Examples of Back-of-the-Envelope Results......Page 100
8.3 Constructing What’s on the Back of the Envelope......Page 106
8.5 Summary: A Meeting......Page 109
References......Page 110
9 Perspective 5: Expanding the Dimensions......Page 112
9.1 Another Look at Architecting......Page 113
9.2 The Morphological Box......Page 114
9.4 Functions of Many Variables......Page 115
9.6 A Multifunctional Device......Page 116
9.8 Where Do Elevators Belong?......Page 117
9.9 Where Are Airplanes Supposed to Fly?......Page 118
9.10 The Grand Unified Theory......Page 119
9.11 The Spreadsheet Revisited......Page 120
9.12 Summary: A Meeting......Page 121
References......Page 122
10.1 Thirty-Six Ways to Fail......Page 124
10.2 Top Dozen Obversities......Page 126
10.3 Summary: A Meeting......Page 137
References......Page 138
11 Perspective 7: Remove Constraints......Page 140
11.1 Typical System Constraints......Page 141
11.3 Summary: A Meeting......Page 149
References......Page 150
12 Perspective 8: Thinking with Pictures......Page 152
12.2 Information Flow......Page 153
12.3 A Different Representation of a House......Page 155
12.4 General Process Flowchart......Page 156
12.5 The Parameter Dependency Diagram......Page 157
12.6 Interface Diagram......Page 159
12.7 Other Types of Diagrams......Page 160
12.8 Architectural Views......Page 161
12.9 Summary: A Meeting......Page 164
References......Page 165
13 Perspective 9: The Systems Approach......Page 166
13.1 Seven Essential Elements......Page 167
13.3 The Persistence of Alternatives......Page 169
13.4 Building a System......Page 170
13.5 Architecting a System......Page 171
13.6 Additional Views of Architectures......Page 176
13.8 Summary: A Meeting......Page 178
References......Page 179
14 Thinking in Groups......Page 181
14.1 The Delphi Process......Page 182
14.2 Groupthink......Page 183
14.3 de Bono and His Thinking Hats......Page 184
14.5 SAST......Page 185
14.6 Team Syntegrity......Page 186
14.7 Facilitation......Page 187
14.8 Self-Directed Work Teams......Page 188
14.9 Synectics......Page 189
14.10 No More Teams: Collaboration......Page 190
14.11 Conclusion......Page 191
References......Page 192
15.1 de Bono and Lateral Thinking......Page 193
15.2 TRIZ......Page 194
15.3 Thinking Like Leonardo......Page 195
15.4 The Art of Problem Solving......Page 196
15.5 Einstein......Page 197
15.6 Breakthrough Thinking......Page 198
15.7 Creativity......Page 199
15.9 Thinking About the Future......Page 200
15.10 Thinking for a Change......Page 201
15.11 Some Genius Attributes......Page 202
References......Page 203
16 Final Thoughts and a Test......Page 205
16.1 More Extraordinary Thinkers......Page 206
16.3 Test Yourself......Page 207
16.4 Final Words......Page 210
Index......Page 211
