Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The Viable System Model:A Guide for Enterprise
ArchitectureStuart Umpleby
The George Washington University
Washington, DC
Features of the VSM
• Based on the structure of the human nervous system
• Five levels or functions
• The five functions recur at each level of organization
Features of the VSM
• Maximizes autonomy of units
• Minimizes bureaucracy
• Maintains control of essential activities
• Evaluates results more than methods
The five functions
• System five – controls the rate of innovation, defines the organization’s values
• System four – does long-range planning, designs the next product or service
• System three – middle management, defines a “resource bargain” with the system ones
• System two – coordinates the producing units• System one – the producing units
Concerns of the Viable System Model
• Make sure that the knowledge and skills needed are available
• Be sure that the information needed to make decisions is available
• Design an organization that is adaptive
System One units and their environments
Operation
One A
Operation
One B
Operation
One C
Present
Environment
Local
Environ -
ment
Local
Environ -
ment
Local
Environ -
ment
Management
Operation
One A
Management
Operation
One B
Management
Operation
One C
Operation
One A
Operation
One B
Operation
One C
Present
Environment
Local
Environ -
ment
Local
Environ -
ment
Local
Environ -
ment
Management
Operation
One A
Management
Operation
One B
Management
Operation
One C
Repeat of the System One units with the addition of Systems Two, Three, and Three
Star
OperationOne A
OperationOne B
OperationOne C
PresentEnvironment
LocalEnviron-
ment
LocalEnviron-
ment
LocalEnviron-
ment
ManagementOperation
One A
ManagementOperation
One B
ManagementOperation
One C
3* System 3 2
OperationOne A
OperationOne B
OperationOne C
PresentEnvironment
LocalEnviron-
ment
LocalEnviron-
ment
LocalEnviron-
ment
ManagementOperation
One A
ManagementOperation
One B
ManagementOperation
One C
3* System 3 2
System Four probing the future environment
System 4
All internal functions
concernedwith thefuture
Future
Environment
All relevantdevelopments
in theenvironment
orientedto the future
System 4
All internal functions
concernedwith thefuture
Future
Environment
All relevantdevelopments
in theenvironment
orientedto the future
Relationships among Systems 3, 4, and 5
System 5
System 4
System 3
System 5
System 4
System 3
The Viable System Model
OperationOne A
OperationOne B
OperationOne C
PresentEnvironment
LocalEnviron-
ment
LocalEnviron-ment
LocalEnviron-
ment
ManagementOperation
One A
ManagementOperation
One B
ManagementOperation
One C
3* System 3 2
FutureEnvironment
System 5
System 4
OperationOne A
OperationOne B
OperationOne C
PresentEnvironment
LocalEnviron-
ment
LocalEnviron-ment
LocalEnviron-
ment
ManagementOperation
One A
ManagementOperation
One B
ManagementOperation
One C
3* System 3 2
OperationOne A
OperationOne B
OperationOne C
PresentEnvironment
LocalEnviron-
ment
LocalEnviron-ment
LocalEnviron-
ment
ManagementOperation
One A
ManagementOperation
One B
ManagementOperation
One C
3* System 3 2
FutureEnvironment
System 5
System 4
Viable System Model
• A diagnostic tool that can aid in understanding any organizational structure – line, staff, or matrix
• Defines the variety that needs to be controlled and the structures to control it
• Shows how both to ensure innovation and to regulate it
Relevance to Enterprise Architecture
• The VSM provides a way of viewing the structure of an organization
• It could, in principle, be used to design an information system for an organization
• At least one software program has been created to help people analyze an organization in terms of the VSM
A presentation for the Association for Enterprise Architecture
Ronald Reagan Building, Suite M 800
Washington, DC
August 13, 2008
Contact Information
Prof. Stuart Umpleby
Department of Management
The George Washington University
Washington, DC
www.gwu.edu/~umpleby
202-994-1642
