From the course: Systems Thinking for Product Designers

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System hierarchy and boundaries

System hierarchy and boundaries

From the course: Systems Thinking for Product Designers

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System hierarchy and boundaries

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- [Instructor] Determining what to include in a system diagram and at what resolution to represent the system may seem simple, but it can often be the most challenging and critical step in the process. After watching this video, you'll be better able to determine the optimal system boundary and navigate the hierarchy of nested systems we actually find out in the real world. In a previous video, we looked at how you can think about using a hammer as a system at a variety of scales. So you could focus just on the physical components of the hammer, the head and the handle. You could focus on a hammering assembly that includes the operator, the person swinging the hammer, or you could potentially think about an entire job site or construction site, or hammering is one element in the construction of a building. The decision of where to draw that system boundary and what to consider part of the system is critical, and really…

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