Well, looks like my text was kind of stupid and or confusing... Anyway, I started reading "An Introduction To General Systems Thinking" - surprisingly interesting book, and it's helping me answer most of those questions in deeper ways. I needed to do some additional investigation before starting to ask questions ;)
I'll share the insights after I finish it, Thanks! Marcelo. On Tue, Apr 10, 2012 at 9:24 PM, Marcelo de Moraes Serpa < celose...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi guys, > > I know there are quite a few smart brains around here, and I think this is > valid discussion for this mailing list, even if OT. > > I'm not a cientist, nor work inside an academic environment. I'm just a > regular guy trying to understand this world and making better use of my > resources, specially time. For this, I have read dozens of books on > personal productivity, including GTD, Making it All Work, and Work the > System. All great books. > > I've started to notice a pattern though. All of them talk about systems > and processes (and some might even use the word framework and methodology / > or method), and although you can live by and be quite productivity if you > apply the principles, I knew I had to understand in an even lower and basic > level. I then asked myself "What the heck is a system" and what is the > relationship it has with "process", "methodology" and "frameworks" ? > > I found out, for example, that "System" and "Process" sometimes are used > inter-changeably. So I went to google to try to find out the answer. The > simplest answers simply say that "a process is what a system is made of". > It did not convince me. > > By reading the wikipedia article about System ( > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System), I found out this paragraph under > "System concepts": > > Process and transformation process >> A system can also be viewed as a bounded transformation process, that is, >> a process or collection of processes that transforms inputs into outputs. >> Inputs are consumed; outputs are produced. The concept of input and output >> here is very broad. E.g., an output of a passenger ship is the movement of >> people from departure to destination. > > > A system can viewed as a process? Hmm, confusing. > > Right now, my mental model basically says that a "system" is like > blueprint with different components that communicate, and a process is what > runs on it (or in on of its components). "Framework" is like a collection > of systems and a "methodology" is basically akin to system (in my > understanding). > > Why am I obsessing about this? > > The reason is systems thinking. I think it's a quite interesting mindset > and way to perceive the world. By trying to view yourself and what > surrounds you as systems (with sub-systems), it's much easier to document > (them), get feedback, and improve, automating your life even further, > understanding it more, and living better. > > For example, from this perspective I think, GTD is simply a product of an > elevated point of view from the author David Allen. He simply viewed things > systematically and documented them. That's why he says it's 'common-sense'. > > But before that, it would be nice to know exactly what a System is, and > it's relationship with "process", "methodology" and "framework", in > abstract terms. > > What do you think? I'm sure there are quite a few people here that might > be crazy enough to have the same question, or perhaps, I'm just too crazy. > Let me know, any insights very much appreciated. > > Cheers, > > - Marcelo. > >
