Summary: Discusses systems, what they are, how we can view them and how we can make systems ideas useful to us in everyday life. Theoretically based, it's divided into four parts. Part One presents foundation and theory, including a discussion of how systems work and how humans affect systems. Part Two explains how systems are built from component pieces. Part Three examines system synthesis, exploring how systems relate to each other. Part Four looks to a future in which systems are built naturally. A glossary of terms, references and index complete this work.