Natural Principles and Methods for Describing Systems

Abstract

The paper presents a new system language, which is characterized by a well-founded design based on fundamental concepts.

A number of system description and modeling languages are analyzed, in particular, UML, SysML, BPMN, TOGAF, etc., currently used in designing systems for various purposes. A number of problems with these languages are identified, including focus on special areas of application, a large number of elements and diagrams with no justification for them, poor reflection of time aspects, etc.

A critical analysis of terminological difficulties in large projects, mainly arising from contradictions in the glossaries of the standards used, is carried out.

The aim of the work is defined as the creation of a system language being based on fundamental concepts (and therefore with a minimum of internal contradictions), having, along with a graphical representation (as a method of visual description), also a textual one (for the preparation and machine processing of documents), as well as formalized rules for linking textual constructions together (as an instrument for justifying and constructing terms).

A method for describing systems is proposed based on the basic notions of natural sciences: essence, interaction, space, time, attribute, attitude. The system description language NSL (Natural System Language) is presented in text (NSL-T), formula (NSL-F) and graphical presentation (NSL-G). A consistent incremental creation of the glossary is demonstrated in the sections Basic Objective Notions, Basic Subjective Notions and further to the sections Systems and Programs.

The results of the proposed approach are demonstrated by comparing the names and descriptions of the most commonly used UML diagrams. Possible applications of the developed method and NSL language for modeling systems and constructing terminology, as well for improving an artificial intelligence are presented.