149
Foundations in Systems Integration
method of investigation, Feyerabend (1993) poses two notions (in the words
of the author): if the results of an experiment are not what they seem to be (by
a strictly scientific approach), then rather than suggest a flaw in the experiment, consider first the impact of the underlying perspective of the observer,
and second, consider the impacts that may occur outside the physical boundaries defined for the experiment. Reflecting on Feyerabend’s reference to
these two notions, the author poses integration as thinking in systems,* and
therefore stated as thinking in integration. Thinking in integration means
developing an approach for investigating the fabric of systems theory and
systems integration that is broadly applicable to all experiments, all examples, and grossly produces similar results as the scientific method, yet offers
insights that are not apparent.
The following approach addresses the broader question: how best to
interpret the results of an experiment involving objects? The approach
begins by
Initial ideation (concept for investigation)
Statement of the problem (the causal prediction)
Statement of the need (what question(s) are answered)
Stakeholders (perspectives)
Hypothesis (claims about the nature of the variables and effect(s))
Method (notions, procedures, models/representations): “white box” †
tests
Approach: thinking in systems
Design of experiment (hypothesis analysis and testing)
Principles and theory (framework and schemas for asking questions)
Integration Framework
It is reasonable to surmise there are snippets of theory (e.g., general systems
theory and social theories) that apply to integration, there are possible theoretical constructs (reference the theoretical worldviews—classical, relational, and
mechanistic—described in Section “Nature of Physical Objects”), and there are
frameworks that seem to capture key issues, but there is no fully developed
* There is a terrifically insightful and significant book by Donella H. Meadows with the title,
Thinking in Systems (Meadows 2008). She was the lead author on the book, Limits to Growth.
Additionally, thinking in systems for planning was aptly applied for building complex products and services in the early 1980s (Taylor 1981).
† White box method of testing focuses on the identification and evaluation of the internal logic
and procedures that are based on knowledge of the workings and configuration of the internals of the object.
Foundations in Systems Integration
method of investigation, Feyerabend (1993) poses two notions (in the words
of the author): if the results of an experiment are not what they seem to be (by
a strictly scientific approach), then rather than suggest a flaw in the experiment, consider first the impact of the underlying perspective of the observer,
and second, consider the impacts that may occur outside the physical boundaries defined for the experiment. Reflecting on Feyerabend’s reference to
these two notions, the author poses integration as thinking in systems,* and
therefore stated as thinking in integration. Thinking in integration means
developing an approach for investigating the fabric of systems theory and
systems integration that is broadly applicable to all experiments, all examples, and grossly produces similar results as the scientific method, yet offers
insights that are not apparent.
The following approach addresses the broader question: how best to
interpret the results of an experiment involving objects? The approach
begins by
Initial ideation (concept for investigation)
Statement of the problem (the causal prediction)
Statement of the need (what question(s) are answered)
Stakeholders (perspectives)
Hypothesis (claims about the nature of the variables and effect(s))
Method (notions, procedures, models/representations): “white box” †
tests
Approach: thinking in systems
Design of experiment (hypothesis analysis and testing)
Principles and theory (framework and schemas for asking questions)
Integration Framework
It is reasonable to surmise there are snippets of theory (e.g., general systems
theory and social theories) that apply to integration, there are possible theoretical constructs (reference the theoretical worldviews—classical, relational, and
mechanistic—described in Section “Nature of Physical Objects”), and there are
frameworks that seem to capture key issues, but there is no fully developed
* There is a terrifically insightful and significant book by Donella H. Meadows with the title,
Thinking in Systems (Meadows 2008). She was the lead author on the book, Limits to Growth.
Additionally, thinking in systems for planning was aptly applied for building complex products and services in the early 1980s (Taylor 1981).
† White box method of testing focuses on the identification and evaluation of the internal logic
and procedures that are based on knowledge of the workings and configuration of the internals of the object.