systemsshapes
Systemsshapes is a conceptual framework used to represent complex systems by mapping their components to geometric shapes and arranging them to reflect relationships and attributes. The term is a portmanteau of "systems" and "shapes" and does not refer to a single standardized standard, but rather to a family of visualization practices employed in systems engineering, software architecture, and organizational analysis.
In practice, each shape denotes a component or subsystem; edges indicate interactions; visual properties such as
Applications include high-level architecture diagrams, dependency mapping, capacity planning, and stakeholder communication. Systemsshapes can be used
Limitations include potential ambiguity if mappings are not standardized, reliance on consistent legends, and cognitive load
See also: system diagram, information visualization, visual encoding.