UNIVERSAL SYSTEMS MODEL
UNIT 3 LESSON 1
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology, Third Edition /
Technology, Engineering, and Design
Open
Systems
What is a
System?
Proper
Operation
Of Systems
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
Closed
Systems
Universal
Systems
Model
What is a system?
• A system is a group of interrelated
components designed collectively to achieve a
desired goal.
• Systems are used in a number of ways in
technology and appear in many aspects of
daily life , such as solar systems, political
systems and technological systems.
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
Information
•Email Message
Tools/Machi
nes
Production
•Modem
•Computer
PROCESS
INPUT
Management
People
•Data
•Plastic for computer
•Wiring for
CPU/Monitor
• Person
receives
email
OUTPUT
Email answered
Unexpected
Undesired
FEEDBACK
• Server/modem
access
• Privacy Issues
•Sender of message
Expected
Desired
Materials
• Typing of
message
• Sending of
data
Email not answered
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
Return email stating
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
undeliverable
Foundations of Technology
• Email is sent
to wrong
person
Example of Email
System
Open Systems
• An open-loop system has no feedback path and
requires human intervention.
• An example of an open loop system is a microwave
oven that requires the person to put in a time to cook
the food. There is no feedback to say the food is
actually cooked thoroughly when the microwave turns
off, the person may have to put in more time or the
food may be overcooked.
PROCESS
INPUT
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
OUTPUT
Closed Systems
• A system that uses feedback from the output
to control the input.
• An example of a closed-loop system is the
heating system in a home, which has a
thermostat to provide feedback when the
heat needs to be turned on and off.
PROCESS
INPUT
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
OUTPUT
FEEDBACK
Universal Systems Model
• Every system that exists can be broken down
using the universal systems model.
PROCESS
INPUT
OUTPUT
FEEDBACK
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
Input
• Inputs consist of the resources that flow into a
technological system. Inputs include:
• People
• Materials
PROCESS
• Tools and/or Machines
INPUT
OUTPUT
• Energy
• Information
FEEDBACK
• Capital
• Time
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
Inputs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
People: determine the need, solutions to the
problems and how the inputs will be used to
obtain the output
Information: The people must have background
knowledge of math and science to appropriately
design solutions to problems and carry out the
solutions.
Materials: Natural or man made materials go
into the creation of the output
Machines and/or Tools: are needed to turn raw
materials or industrial materials into final
solutions
Energy: allows work to be carried out
throughout the system
Capital: the money and land needed to create
the output
Time: needed to design, create and assess the
solution
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
PROCESS
INPUT
OUTPUT
FEEDBACK
INPUT
PEOPLE
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
MACHINES/
TOOLS
ENERGY
CAPITAL
TIME
PROCESS
Process
INPUT
OUTPUT
FEEDBACK
• The process is the systematic sequence of actions that
combines resources to produce an output.
• Processes can be categorized into:
– Problem Solving: process which works through problem identification
to selecting a final solution
– Production: process which involves the creation of the product or
structure
– Management: controlling and managing the inputs and other process
involved in the system.
PROBLEM SOLVING
PRODUCTION
MANAGEMENT
PROCESS
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
Output
PROCESS
INPUT
OUTPUT
• The output is the end result,
which can have either a positive
or negative impact. Outputs can
take the following forms:
OUTPUT
• Unexpected Desired
UNEXPECTED DESIRED
• Expected Desired
EXPECTED DESIRED
UNEXPECTED UNDESIRED
• Unexpected Undesired
EXPECTED UNDESIRED
• Expected Undesired
FEEDBACK
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
OUTPUTS
• What other forms can outputs take? (Hint:
This is from your reading in Chapter 6).
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
PROCESS
Feedback
INPUT
OUTPUT
FEEDBACK
• Feedback is information used to
monitor or control a system. The feedback
loop allows the system to make necessary
adjustments during operation
• New and frequent users need to execute
systems so that they function in the way they
were designed to avoid malfunctions or safety
issues.
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
The stability of a technological system is
influenced by all of the components in the
system, especially those in the feedback loop.
Equally important, is the proper use of systems.
PROCESS
INPUT
OUTPUT
FEEDBACK
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology
New and frequent users need to operate systems so that they
function in the way they were designed to avoid
malfunctions or safety issues.
Assignment: Consider the cell phone . Complete the steps of
the universal system model. Use the example from the email
system as your guide. Then answer the following questions:
1. Have you witnessed or have you improperly operated
a cell phone?
2. What happened?
3. How could a user error produce an unexpected
output?
© 2011 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association,
STEMCenter for Teaching and Learning™
Foundations of Technology