Technology as a System

The ability to do work. It comes from inexhaustible, renewable, and exhaustible sources. It allows technological systems to operate.

• Intended Output

• Desired Output

• Energy

• Output

Something produced that had been hoped for.

• Output

• Desired Output

• Undesirable Output

• Intended Output

A control system that uses feedback and is built-in part of the device. Additionally, components within the device monitor conditions and make adjustments to produce the desired output.

• Desired Output System

• Open-Loop System

• Closed-Loop System

• Intended Output System

A feedback system that has external controls and requires human intervention.

• Technological System

• Natural System

• Closed-Loop System

• Open-Loop System

The result of any system.

• Answer

• Knowledge

• Output

• Goal

A reason or purpose for a system.

• Need

• Goal

• Desired Output

• Objective

An organized grouping of inputs, processes, outputs, feedback, and goals. The purpose of such a system is to produce goods and services.

• Closed-Loop System

• Open-Loop System

• Natural System

• Technological System

A substance from which useful products or items are made. Technological systems use three major types of this: substances that provide energy, such as petroleum, coal, and wind or falling water; liquids, gases, and nonrigid solids that support life, such as air, water, and fertilizers; and industrial engineering items, which are solids with a rigid structure and are the basis for all products having a set form.

• Input

• Output

• Material

• Machine

The process of giving back data on how well a system is operating. It provides information so adjustments can be made to improve the system's outputs. In the design process, this is the use of information from a later step to improve an earlier step. The purpose of this is to improve the operation of any system

• Intended Output

• Feedback

• Output

• Data

A set of related parts. Together, they form a whole, designed to accomplish some purpose.

• Process

• Machine

• System

• Output