“Model” and “view” are terms that are used somewhat loosely in the world of systems engineering. Often they are used interchangeably. Frequently, the imprecision of their usage causes confusion. Careful consideration of these terms can offer some help in clearing away the confusion. Many model definitions feed this imprecision. Consider, …

Einstein once observed, “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” In the world of problem solving it is hard to overstate the importance of understanding the problem to be solved. Our natural tendency is …

Structure Remember to treat writing as a system. Make your logical argument flow, building words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, paragraphs into sections, and sections into documents. Vary your constructions – they mark out the cadence of your writing. You can use cadence to convey your message. For example, a …

Having used the systems approach to develop a solid design for writing, the writer must then turn his or her attention to the implementation. In the systems world this is analogous to putting together the very best components to do the job of expression. Most readers will at once recognize …