Conceptual Versus Tangible Systems

Posted on May 31, 2010 | 0 comments

There exist two types of systems: tangible and conceptual. Tangible systems are easy to conceptualize. A tangible system is something that you can see, feel, touch, and point out to someone else. Examples of tangible systems include the human body, an automobile, a computer, etc. These have clearly defined boundaries and you can physically show to me each one of these tangible systems. There exists little to no ambiguity as to the objects and actions that constitute the system itself.

Conceptual systems are a bit different. Conceptual systems are those that you hold in your mind. You set a boundary for conceptual systems that separates the objects and actions that you deem to be part of the system versus those that are not. Think for a moment about the world economy or the political system of the United States. You would have a hard time showing to me these systems in physical format.

Conceptual systems form the basis of personalized systems thinking. As soon as you begin to think of anything and everything in this world as a system, the power of conceptual systems becomes readily apparent. Conceptual systems enable you to mentally visualize connections between objects and actions that otherwise would be deemed independent.

You hold the power to define a system in your own mind. I provided a baseline definition in my “What Is A System?” post but looking beyond just a simple definition, the boundary that is defined for any given system is completely up to you. You hold the ability to define a system in a particular way. The way that you may define a system from your perspective may vary from that of mine. And it is not a matter of right or wrong.