ESD.83
Research Seminar in Engineering Systems

Course Notebook

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These documents are produced by participants in the course of the seminar and are intended to build a notebook of materials and analyses useful for research in engineering systems.

1. The first set of papers in the notebook address individual "knowledge domains" in engineering systems. 

Complex Adaptive Systems by Serena Chan (.pdf)
Systems Engineering by Cory Hallam (.doc)
Systems Engineering by Cory Hallam (.ppt)
Systems Dynamics by Victor Tang and Samudra Vijay (.doc)
Systems Analysis by Bhavya Lal (.ppt)
Systems Analysis by Bhavya Lal (.doc)
Cybernetics by David Mindell
20 Views on Complexity in Engineering Systems by Joe Sussman
Measures of Complexity: A non-Exhaustive List by Seth Lloyd
World System Theory by Carlos Martinez Vela (.pdf)
Complexity Theory by Pedro Ferreira (.doc)
Complexity Theory by Pedro Ferreira(.ppt)

2. 2nd Presentations, on aspects of engienering systems today

Manufacturing by Bhavya Lal (.ppt)
Product Design by Vic Tang
Highways by Serena Chan
Transportation -- Airlines (.ppt) Written version (.doc) by Pedro Ferreira
Nature/Environment by Samdura Vijay
Accidents by Cory Hallam

2. Book reviews
Out of Control by Kevin Kelley
, reviewed by Cory Hallam
The Cold War and American Science by Stuart Leslie, reviewed by Vic Tang
Networks of Power by Tom Hughes, reviewed by Samudra Vijay
Endless Frontier: The Life of Vannevar Bush by G. Paschal Zachary reviewed by Serena Chan
The Cybernetics Group by Steve Heims, reviwed by Carlos Martinez Vela
Lean Thinking by Womack and Jones, reviewed by Cory Hallam
Transforming Computing Technolog: Information Processing for the Pentagon, 1962-1986
(history of ARPA's IPTO program) by Pedro Ferreira
Normal Accidents by Charles Perrow, reviewed by Vic Tang
The Challenger Launch Decision by Diane Vaughan, reviewed by Samudra Vijay

Design for Environment: Creating Eco-Efficient Products and Processes by Joseph Fiksel reviewed by
Pedro Ferreira

 

3. Other useful stuff:

"20 Views on Complexity" by Joe Sussman

Some complexity links

Knowledge domains presentation guidelines

David Mindell, "Opening Black's box,"Technology and Culture, vol. 41, no. 3, 2000 (PDF format)