Relativized System Engineering (RSE) overview

RSE core feature

RSE implements fundamentally the same constructive approach either to describe – to conceptualize and qualify the physical support constitutive of some new knowledge -, or to create - to devise the material support of a new Product meeting expectations.

RSE relies on a quite fundamental MRC concept we sum up as follows:

Any physical entity is a built concept out of the stability (observed or wanted) of qualifications relative to a starting ground, a generative-qualification process and a qualification grid, defining altogether a “description cell” - a conceptual and physical evolving context such as it can be intersubjectively conceptualized out of public knowledge, wherein the entity to be described emerge as a causality node inferred from the stability of observed marks in similar circumstances.

RSE conceptually implements RS inherited features and features of its own. Beyond the conceptual aspect, its development has also included:

• The computerization of RS mathematical formalism in a language
• The development of a RSE language as a specialization of RS language to meet System Engineering needs
• The prototyping of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to construct and execute RSE conforming models
• The elaboration of guidelines to implement the method, including when models are not deemed necessary (textual specifications and design documents),
• The design of training material.

For more information on RSE achievements, see the “Our achievements” tab.

RS inherited features

• The formal links established between time-indexed scenarios and the conceptual form that incarnates all the potentiality which may be factually generated and described by one of these scenarios
• The threefold representation space (“Known physical context”, “Space-time interactions”, “Physical reality conceptualization”)
• RS algebra (some two very specific kind of “+” and “*” operators, formalized as MRC relativized Meta-descriptions
• The RS relativized concepts (physical Continuity, physical State, physical Causality, System, Probability Law, Entropy, Complexity, ….) built with RS algebra operating on the mathematical formalization of MCR "Transferred or Basic Description" definition

RSE specific features

• A clear distinction introduced between biopsychic and technical-scientific representations of some physical reality and the agreed character of the built dependencies between these two points of view.
  • Biopsychic features refer to the situations where human being is the measuring device (human usages) whereas technical-scientific features refer to the situation where standardized devices implementing scientific theories mediate the evaluation
• The possibility to regard any physical entity from one, several or all of the different points of view which have contributed to its conceptualization
• The formal distinction between specification and design stuff
• The standardization of Conceptualization (abstraction) levels, based on the level adopted to describe “elementary facts” : the transferred or basic description level
• The fact that no order is imposed on the logic of construction, but that criteria are given to assess whether a model is consistent, refutable and meet its goals

Assessing complexity

Let’s stress this RS inherited feature and its role within a System Engineering perspective.

A complexity measure may be assessed for any physical entity which materializes for example some physical integration of material components of an end Product.

Assessing a physical entity complexity is a way of evaluating how much interdependent are its different qualifications, as deemed sufficient and necessary. Its computation is therefore relative to a finite set of views, all or part of the views adopted to qualify this physical entity.

Such a complexity is genetically linked to the specific physical entropy of each one of the involved points of views.

• Complexity tends to a maximum when entropies are maximal and when the different views are dependent : any change which modifies the entity qualification relatively to a given view also impacts all its other qualifications
• Complexity tends to a minimum when the all the entropies are minimal (constant value) and when all the different views are disjoint : any change which modifies the entity qualification relatively to a given view has no impact on any other qualification

The assessment of a complexity level relative to different roles may be computed out of models which formalize either the specification of a to-be-existing entity or the description of a physically preexisting entity.

Such an evaluation may constitute a decision-making aid at design time (keeping under control the design process, safety, …) as well as it makes it possible to pin-point key factors when describing a given situation relatively to intricated stakes.

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