Total System Intervention for System Failure: Methodology and Its Application to ICT Systems

In this paper, total system intervention for system failure (TSI for SF) is proposed for preventing further occurrences of system failures. TSI is a critical system practice for managing complex and differing viewpoints. First, the authors introduce meta-methodology called “system of system failures” (SOSF) as a common language among various stakeholders to improve their understanding of system failures. The actual application scenario is proposed: “TSI for SF.” The SOSF and related methodologies are used in the course of the subsequent discussion and debate to agree on who is responsible for the failure and identify the preventative measures to be applied. An application example in information and communication technologies engineering demonstrates that using the proposed “TSI for SF” helps prevent future system failures by learning from previous system failures. Three actions are identified for preventing further system failures: closing the gap between the stakeholders, introducing absolute goals, and enlarging system boundary.