Sistemings

Sistemings is a term used to describe the practice and study of composing, configuring, and governing complex systems by applying systematic, cross-disciplinary principles across domains. The term is a neologism and is not universally standardized in scholarly literature, but is used to denote a holistic approach to integration and management of interdependent parts.

Core ideas include modular design, feedback mechanisms, resilience, interoperability, and lifecycle governance. Proponents view sistemings as an integrating framework that blends concepts from systems engineering, cybernetics, operations research, and information science to handle complexity.

Practitioners employ modeling and simulation, causal mapping, network analysis, and agent-based modeling to understand system behavior, test interventions, and guide decision making. The approach emphasizes stakeholder involvement, iterative development, and evaluation against performance criteria such as reliability, adaptability, and sustainability.

Applications span technology development, urban and organizational design, healthcare, environmental management, and supply chains, where there is a need to align diverse components and actors within a coherent structure.

As a relatively new or emerging term, sistemings overlaps with established fields such as systems thinking, systems engineering, and complexity science. Critics caution that the label can be vague without agreed definitions or standards.