Fundamentals of a System

By now you have heard me say several times that every system has three common elements: 1. an input, 2. a process, and 3. an output. This very simple fundamental is sometimes hard to grasp. But I want to be sure that you understand how you can use this model to view anything in life.





This simple model is seen everywhere in nature. It is the "cause and effect" in our lives. For example, photosynthesis is a process in plants that converts the sun's energy into oxygen. The inputs to the system include water, carbon dioxide, nutrients from the soil and sunlight. The outputs include glucose and oxygen.

Let's look at another example. Say you want to have a dinner party. You sit down to plan the party and the first thing you do is make a list of people you want to invite and a dinner menu. Why? Because people and food are the basic ingredients for a dinner party.

How you invite guests and prepare the dinner is the process of pulling it all together. So you put together a process to accomplish your goal.

Step 1: Send out invitations.
Step 2: Clean the house.
Step 3: Go to the grocery store.
Step 4: Prepare the meal.
Step 5: Greet your guests.
Step 6: Serve the meal.
Step 7: Have fun.

We have now built a model and defined our system like this:

1. Input: Guests and Food.
2. Process: 7 Steps to a Successful Dinner Party.
3. Output: Dinner Party and Fun.

Is this the only way to define the system? No. You have the freedom to define your system in any way that makes sense and is easiest to follow. However, when you look closely at the steps in the process, each step is in itself another system of inputs, processes and outputs.

Let me repeat that. Each step, action or function in a process is also another process in itself.

For you, going to the grocery store is a simple step. But someone else may need to look at this as a more defined process.

Step 1: Find my car keys.
Step 2: Get in the car.
Step 3: Turn the car on.
Step 4: Drive to the store.
Step 5: Turn the car off.
Step 6: Go in the store.
Step 7: Do the shopping.
Step 8: Load the food in the car.
Step 9: Get in the car.
Step 10: Turn the car on.
Step 11: Drive home.
Step 12: Turn the car off.
Step 13: Get out of the car.
Step 14: Take the food in the house.

I am sure you can think of many more steps you can add. By now you're saying, "Stop. Stop. I get it!"

This level of detail is actually what design engineers do in order to look holistically at the big picture. The more a project or process is defined, the clearer the picture becomes.




By looking at each step in a process as yet another process, you will see everything that is truly required. There will be fewer surprises. Now we can see that a dinner party requires more than simply guests and food. It also requires a car, gasoline, money to purchase the food, etc.

What is the process for sending out invitations? Think about it. Now you know you need envelopes, paper, a pen with ink, and stamps. Don't forget the gasoline for the car if you plan on mailing the invitations at the post office.

Now look more closely at the total output from the party. Is it just a dinner and fun? No. You also have a mess to clean up, garbage at the curb, wastewater down the sink, carbon dioxide emissions from your car, and a used up ink pen from all the invitations you sent, just to name a few.

What do dinner parties have to do with Marketing? Nothing directly (unless you are using the party to market yourself or your products and services). This example is simply a way of viewing things that you can apply to marketing.

The Systems Approach to Marketing allows you to look at various processes available to build an efficient system that leverages your resources of time and money for maximum results. Start thinking in terms of inputs, processes and outputs. And stay tuned for exciting tools coming your way.