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Engineering Systems Integration
of objects and processes—objective being objective and processes being subjective. The correlation between objects and processes is through the procedures carried out by the systems engineers and the systems integrators to
build products and services. That correlation depends on developing metrics
for both subjective measures and for objective measures that are related to
the same concomitant object and process (i.e., procedure, activity, or act (in
decreasing level of sophistication and complexity)). For example, the process
of transporting an object from one location to another may depend on the
mass of the object, the number of objects, and the size of the objects. If the
procedure is to have people lift the objects and all of these three dependencies
have high numerical values, then the process of transportation may be dramatically different than if the numerical value for each is one (assuming the
same units of measure applied to both situations). Moving a patient that
weighs 150 kg from a gurney to a bed may take four orderlies. Moving 300
patients a day may take 1200 orderlies if all patients weighed 150 kg. These
objective measures do not communicate the problem, which is the harm done
to the skeletal frames and muscles of the orderlies by repetitively lifting these
weights. Were such a scenario to be scripted and followed, the first reports
from the orderlies would be for “aching muscles and sore backs.” After a
period of fatigue, the next reports would show more serious injuries, requiring time off from work for rest and rehabilitation for the orderlies. The subjective measures of soreness and feelings of pain vary widely between people,
but nonetheless are indicatively correlated to the objective measures described.
Both objective and subjective measures need to be considered when building
metrics to monitor an enterprise, a business, a project, procedure, or activity.
Since objects and processes in a project are established and carried out in
relation to each other, the socioproduct or socioservice nexus is more than an
interaction of the objective and subjective issues. Objective and subjective
issues are integrated. As such, the proper discussion of a project is within the
framework of objective and subjective issues with appropriate metrics.
The mereology we determine is objects as objects, events as actions, and
processes as procedures, activities, and acts. The equivalency of EMMI as
input for objects is matched with the results of processes as inputs for other
processes, and that of mechanisms for objects is matched with procedures
for processes. Processes make objects from other objects; objects make processes from other processes. The relations between objects and processes are
the topology that signifies their connection as mereological entities. At this
point, a rigorous mathematical development could follow, which is beyond
the scope of this introductory presentation.*
* Mathematical rigor can blind correct reasoning albeit proffering a deeper analysis. But the
question is, a deeper analysis of what? Mathematics is a language that models things that
resist naive simplicity. To begin with numbers is to admit an uneasiness of the nature of
something. (See Endnote 1 at the end of this chapter.)
Engineering Systems Integration
of objects and processes—objective being objective and processes being subjective. The correlation between objects and processes is through the procedures carried out by the systems engineers and the systems integrators to
build products and services. That correlation depends on developing metrics
for both subjective measures and for objective measures that are related to
the same concomitant object and process (i.e., procedure, activity, or act (in
decreasing level of sophistication and complexity)). For example, the process
of transporting an object from one location to another may depend on the
mass of the object, the number of objects, and the size of the objects. If the
procedure is to have people lift the objects and all of these three dependencies
have high numerical values, then the process of transportation may be dramatically different than if the numerical value for each is one (assuming the
same units of measure applied to both situations). Moving a patient that
weighs 150 kg from a gurney to a bed may take four orderlies. Moving 300
patients a day may take 1200 orderlies if all patients weighed 150 kg. These
objective measures do not communicate the problem, which is the harm done
to the skeletal frames and muscles of the orderlies by repetitively lifting these
weights. Were such a scenario to be scripted and followed, the first reports
from the orderlies would be for “aching muscles and sore backs.” After a
period of fatigue, the next reports would show more serious injuries, requiring time off from work for rest and rehabilitation for the orderlies. The subjective measures of soreness and feelings of pain vary widely between people,
but nonetheless are indicatively correlated to the objective measures described.
Both objective and subjective measures need to be considered when building
metrics to monitor an enterprise, a business, a project, procedure, or activity.
Since objects and processes in a project are established and carried out in
relation to each other, the socioproduct or socioservice nexus is more than an
interaction of the objective and subjective issues. Objective and subjective
issues are integrated. As such, the proper discussion of a project is within the
framework of objective and subjective issues with appropriate metrics.
The mereology we determine is objects as objects, events as actions, and
processes as procedures, activities, and acts. The equivalency of EMMI as
input for objects is matched with the results of processes as inputs for other
processes, and that of mechanisms for objects is matched with procedures
for processes. Processes make objects from other objects; objects make processes from other processes. The relations between objects and processes are
the topology that signifies their connection as mereological entities. At this
point, a rigorous mathematical development could follow, which is beyond
the scope of this introductory presentation.*
* Mathematical rigor can blind correct reasoning albeit proffering a deeper analysis. But the
question is, a deeper analysis of what? Mathematics is a language that models things that
resist naive simplicity. To begin with numbers is to admit an uneasiness of the nature of
something. (See Endnote 1 at the end of this chapter.)