STISE

Systems Thinking in Software Engineering

This area is to provide information on books and publications about systems thinking. Each title is hyperlinked to Amazon.com, where further information can be retrieved on the book.

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General Systems Thinking

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization, by Peter M. Senge ($18.95 paperback; Currency/Doubleday; 1994; 423 pp; ISBN: 0385260954) is probably the most widely read and referenced book on the subject of learning organizations. Originally published in hardback in 1990, Senge describes what he believes are five essential disciplines necessary to becoming a learning organization: with systems thinking as the "fifth discipline" that integrates the others into a unifying whole. While a landmark work on the subject, it is written for the general reader, not specifically for software, and so does not have the ability to relate directly to the issues and problems specific to software engineering, management and quality improvement.

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, by Peter M. Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, Bryan Smith, and Richard Ross ($35.00 paperback; Currency/Doubleday; 1994; 593 pp; ISBN: 0385472560) expands on the book The Fifth Discipline by Peter M. Senge, by providing pragmatic insights into how to apply the five disciplines Senge describes in his first book. As with Senge's first book, it is written for the general reader, not specifically for software, and so does not have the ability to relate directly to the issues and problems specific to software engineering, management and quality improvement.

An Introduction to General Systems Thinking, by Gerald M. Weinberg ($33.95 paperback; Dorset House; 2001; 260 pp; ISBN: 0932633498) is the 25th anniversary reprint of the original book by the same title. This excellent book provides a comprehensive explanation of general systems theory, giving many principles, "laws" and examples of systems thinking. Like The Fifth Discipline and The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, this book is written for the general reader (though some of the stories and examples used are computer systems projects), and not specifically for software engineering, management and quality improvement.

Modeling for Learning Organizations, edited by John D. W. Morecroft and John D. Sterman ($41.95 hardback; Productivity Press; 1994; 374 pp; ISBN: 1-56327-060-9) is a composite of articles by leading learning organization, systems thinking and systems dynamics authors. These articles cover a broad range of topics on the use of computer-based models and simulations for learning, including experimentation and limitations in learning. Several articles describe the strengths and capabilities of various dynamic modeling languages and environments. Like The Fifth Discipline, this book is written for the general reader.

Systems Thinking in Software Engineering

Software Project Dynamics: An Integrated Approach, by Tarek Abdel-Hamid and Stuart E. Madnick ($52.60 paperback; Prentice Hall; 1991; 264 pp; ISBN: 0138220409) is probably the most commonly referenced and most recognized book on the subject of constructing dynamic models for software projects. The authors take the reader through their construction of an integrative (i.e., all inclusive) model of a software development process, providing detailed diagrams of the software process and extensive references for the data used to run the model. However, the authors do not provide many insights into how the model was created. Also, the authors only make passing mention of causal loop diagramming, and little is discussed about the construction of effective simulators and learning laboratories as the basis for modeling.

Quality Software Management, Volume 1: Systems Thinking, by Gerald M. Weinberg ($41.95 hardback; Dorset House; 1991; 318 pp; ISBN: 0932633226) is the first of three books on quality, management, and productivity. In this volume, Weinberg describes software organizations in terms of six cultural patterns (which he relates to CMM levels of maturity), and describes how software companies can improve their quality. While the author describes many issues in software using a causal loop diagramming technique (which he calls "models"), this is his limit to covering system thinking applications.

Discovering System Dynamics in Software Engineering, by James D. Hart, Software Process Dynamics, LLC, 2008. This book provides a step-by-step approach in how any software organization can use causal loop diagramming to understand, communicate and solve chronic and interdependent problems that defy solutions using traditional techniques. The result will bring clarity and richer meaning to how we in the software community manage and improve our practices.

(Upcoming Book!) Software Process Dynamics, by Raymond Madachy, IEEE Computer Society Press, 2005. This book is designed for software engineering professionals and students who are interested in understanding the dynamics of software development, or in assessing and optimizing process strategies.