Base120 · Systems
System Boundaries
Define what is inside versus outside system scope for analysis or design
When to use
"Use before analyzing any system. Define what is inside the system (the components and interactions you will analyze) and what is outside (the environment, which you treat as given). The boundary determines what you can and cannot explain."
Example
"Analyzing a team's productivity. If the boundary is the team, you analyze internal dynamics. If the boundary includes the organization, you analyze how organizational policies affect the team. The boundary choice determines the analysis."
Common misuse
"Drawing the boundary to exclude the cause of the problem. If the team's productivity is caused by organizational policies, drawing the boundary at the team guarantees the analysis will miss the cause."