IT systems are amazingly complex which makes them very hard to manage. If you view it from the scientific perspective things are often complex still the right model has been found. The classic example are the Newton laws which lead the movements of objects back to a simple model (every object pursues the minimum energy level) and a collection of clear rules (laws). This doesn't make complex things simple but empowers people to model and predict the behavior of objects and professionals to speak a common language.
Is it possible to build such a model for IT-Systems? I don't know but there are same approaches which probably are worth exploring.
- Theory of Constraints focuses on finding the major constraints in a system and improve the systems through managing that constraints. TOC structures the problems, solutions and transitions by tree structures. The current situation is represented by the current reality tree and the desired state by the future reality tree.
- Lean Six Sigma focuses on processes. One of the tools is the CTQ tree which breaks down needs to critical factors. CTQ tree - in my opinion - is a like the reverse of a Current Reality Tree used in the Theory of Constraints. While TOC identifies the root of all "undesirable side effects" the CTQ needs starts with one ore a couple of needs and breaks them down to several influencing factors. The Balanced Scorecard is very similar to a CTQ tree. See IT BSC as an example.
- Biotope; we also could see IT systems like a biotope (I have red it somewhere but forgot where - sorry) where everything is in interaction with each other.
- And naturally we have the classic IT models like the whole toolbox of UML.
Sure there are a lot of other tools and methods which I don't even know. Anyway I haven't yet heard about any project to set up an IT System model or theory. Maybe it would be worth trying to build one.
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