LER 512

Credit: 2 hours.

This half-semester course is focused at the intersection of social and technical systems in the context of historical and contemporary systems; production, social biological, industrial and infrastructural. Readings will trace the change from craft production to mass production to knowledge-driven work systems. Experiments from the 1950s through the 1970s are examined, along with consideration of the implication for complex engineered systems and today's accelerating rate of technological change. Systems thinking and related principles will be introduced as a framework for analysis while a range of initiatives such as lean production, six sigma, and innovation networks will illustrate applications in different domains. Class features a mix of case studies, debate, lectures, and guest speakers. Assessment will be based on short papers, class participation, and a system analysis project.