The System Diagrams: Shifting Perspectives.

The article discusses system diagrams as a method for understanding the holistic context of information systems. The writings of Ludwig von Bertalanffy on systems theory are cited, and the usefulness of the system diagrams method for representing relationships is emphasized. Organizing principles such as hierarchies, symbols, and rules are discussed, and examples such as social networks, bus routes, and maps of the solar system are presented. The use of these techniques as aids to decision making and problem solving is described.