A couple days ago I wrote about a mind shift you needed to think in systems.
The idea was simple: everything is a system.
I want to elaborate on that a little more and show you what systems are really about (it’s not what you think it is).
Every System has an IPO: Input, Process, Output
When you look at any system, in its simplest form, it has 3 components. It’s what I’ll call IPO: Input, Process, Output.
Input – anything you do to activate the system or give the system to use.
Process – the actual steps and function the system will perform.
Output – the result after doing all the steps.
That’s really what a system is. Think of it as a factory. You give it raw materials, it goes through several steps on the conveyor belt and at the end it spits out a product. That could be an iPhone, a pair of jeans or a bottle of water.
The beauty of systems is that the Process gives you the same, consistent results that you’re looking for. It’s a repeatable process that allows you to scale and it outputs things with the same quality every time the system runs.
In the real world – especially when it comes to “personal systems” such as habits and rituals – it’s a little trickier. The above scenario assumes 100% ideal circ*mstances but that’s rarely the case.
The Process and Output are usually consistent and that can be repeated. The tricky variable here is the Input – this can vary sometimes (a lot).
Take for example your morning ritual:
Input – when you wake up
Process – steps in your morning ritual
Output – feeling ready and focused
The Input here can vary a lot. Maybe you woke up late and now you only have 20 minutes for your morning ritual. That affects the whole system (your morning ritual).
Or maybe you went out the night before and you still have traces of alcohol in your body. No matter how awesome your morning ritual is, you won’t get the same quality Output that you normally desire.
Or let’s say you slept only 3 hours. Same deal – no morning ritual can save your life here.
So here’s the interesting thing about personal systems: we are usually pretty good at wanting the “Output” but we are terrible at finding the right Process.
Productivity, or time management, is really about optimizing the Input (you) and finding the right Process to get to your desirable Output the quickest with the least amount of effort.
(Let this statement sink in. If you get this, you’re ahead of 99% of people.)
If you want to dive right into more advanced and practical examples of systems we use – we have a free online seminar where we go deeper on this topic.
This training is completely free. Join us for some fun and get to see which systems we use on a day-to-day basis to stay productive.
FAQs
Input – anything you do to activate the system or give the system to use. Process – the actual steps and function the system will perform. Output – the result after doing all the steps. That's really what a system is.
What are the three parts of a system? ›
In a basic sense, a system can be understood as consisting of three things: elements, interconnections, and a function or purpose. Donella Meadows uses the example of a sports team to illustrate the meaning and relative importance of elements, interconnections, and a common function or purpose for systems.
What type of system has 3 main components? ›
Computer systems consist of three components: Central Processing Unit, Input devices and Output devices, Memory. Input devices provide data input to the processor, which processes data and generates useful information that's displayed to the user through output devices.
What makes up a system? ›
A system is a group of interacting or interrelated elements that act according to a set of rules to form a unified whole. A system, surrounded and influenced by its environment, is described by its boundaries, structure and purpose and is expressed in its functioning.
What are the parts of the system model? ›
There are four basic elements to the systems model: output, process, input, and feedback. Process represents the operations that occur to transform the inputs to the desired outputs. Inputs represent the basic materials or resources that will be transformed to the output.
What are the 4 parts of a system? ›
Q-Chat
- Input. Resources that go into the system.
- Process. Taking action to use inputs.
- Output. The result of a system.
- Feedback. Adjustments made to input and process to improve output.
Simply put, a system is an organized collection of parts (or subsystems) that are highly integrated to accomplish an overall goal.
What 3 components will every electrical system always have? ›
The basic components of electric circuits include a voltage source, a load, and a conductive pathway. A voltage source is an electrical component that supplies energy. It provides a potential difference for the charges to flow. Examples of voltage sources are a battery and a generator.
What is a typical power system? ›
Fig. 1.1 A typical power system. It contains a generating plant, a transmission system, a subtransmission system and a distribution system. These subsystems are interconnected through transformers T1 , T2 and T3 . Let us consider some typical voltage levels to understand the funtioning of the power system.
What are the parts of the electrical power system? ›
An electrical power system has several components, such as supplies, loads, conductors, protective devices, power electronics, and reactors. Supplies in an electrical power system, refers to the source of electric power. This power can either be DC or AC.
The human organism consists of eleven organ systems. They are Integumentary System, Skeletal System, Muscular System, Nervous System, Endocrine System, Cardiovascular System, Lymphatic System, Respiratory System, Digestive System, Urinary System, and Reproductive System (Female and Male).
How are all the systems formed? ›
The organ system formation starts with an organelle. The organelles join to form a cell. A group of specialized cells later merge to form a tissue. Tissues join to form an organ, and different organs forming an organ system.
What makes up a system in science? ›
Overview. A system is set of things that are interconnected in ways that result in the generation of identifiable behavioral patterns over time. Systems Science is an interdisciplinary field that studies the complexity of systems in nature, social or any other scientific field.
What is the function of the generation system? ›
Distributed generation systems supply electricity to grid-connected energy consumers and either store the excess or sell it back to the utility. Such systems may also supply heat, in which case they are called cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) systems.
What is the difference between transmission and distribution? ›
The core difference between transmission and distribution power lines is that transmission power lines are for long-distance, high-voltage electricity transportation, whereas distribution power lines are for shorter distances and lower voltage electricity transportation.
What is line transmission? ›
Transmission lines carry electric energy from one point to another in an electric power system. They can carry alternating current or direct current or a system can be a combination of both. Also, electric current can be carried by either overhead or underground lines.
What is the function of the power system? ›
Power systems deliver energy to loads that perform a function. These loads range from household appliances to industrial machinery. Most loads expect a certain voltage and, for alternating current devices, a certain frequency and number of phases.
