{"title":"What Is the Smallest Model of a System?","authors":"William D. Schindel","doi":"10.1002/inst.12501","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n <p>How we <span>represent</span> systems is fundamental to the history of mathematics, science, and engineering. Model-based engineering methods shift the <span>nature</span> of representation of systems from historical prose forms to explicit data structures more directly comparable to those of science and mathematics. However, using models does not guarantee <span>simpler</span> representation—indeed a typical fear voiced about models is that they may be too complex.</p>\n <p><span>Minimality</span> of system representations is of both theoretical and practical interest. The mathematical and scientific interest is that the size of a system's “minimal representation” is one definition of its complexity. The practical engineering interest is that the size and redundancy of engineering specifications challenge the effectiveness of systems engineering processes. INCOSE thought leaders have asked how systems work can be made 10:1 simpler to attract a 10:1 larger global community of practitioners. And so, we ask: What is the <span>smallest</span> model of a system?</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":13956,"journal":{"name":"Insight","volume":"27 4","pages":"43-52"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Insight","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/inst.12501","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"INSTRUMENTS & INSTRUMENTATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
How we represent systems is fundamental to the history of mathematics, science, and engineering. Model-based engineering methods shift the nature of representation of systems from historical prose forms to explicit data structures more directly comparable to those of science and mathematics. However, using models does not guarantee simpler representation—indeed a typical fear voiced about models is that they may be too complex.
Minimality of system representations is of both theoretical and practical interest. The mathematical and scientific interest is that the size of a system's “minimal representation” is one definition of its complexity. The practical engineering interest is that the size and redundancy of engineering specifications challenge the effectiveness of systems engineering processes. INCOSE thought leaders have asked how systems work can be made 10:1 simpler to attract a 10:1 larger global community of practitioners. And so, we ask: What is the smallest model of a system?
期刊介绍：
Official Journal of The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing - includes original research and devlopment papers, technical and scientific reviews and case studies in the fields of NDT and CM.
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