DESIGN AND OPERATION OF LARGE SYSTEMS

Issues related to the design of large systems are explored based on the axiomatic approach to design. A large system has the characteristic of having to satisfy varying sets of functional requirements (FRs) over its lifetime, some of which are not known a priori. Such a system must therefore be designed to accommodate these varying and sometimes unknown sets of functional requirements. The design must also allow the system to have an expandable database of design parameters (DPs) to satisfy yet-unknown FRs and endow the system with ''intelligence'' to make correct decisions. The independence axiom and the information axiom are the basis for several theorems that are derived for large systems. These theorems characterize or establish the bounds on the large systems. The implications of these theorems are examined using organizational design and the design of intelligent manufacturing systems as examples. Finally, the human cognitive process, including human creativity, is discussed as an example of a large system.