POSIWID: The Purpose of a System Is What It Does
Wikipedia: The purpose of a system is what it does (POSIWID) is a heuristic in systems thinking coined by the British management consultant Stafford Beer , who stated that there is “no point in claiming that the purpose of a system is to do what it constantly fails to do”. It is used in systems theory, and is generally invoked to counter the notion that the purpose of a system can or should be…
The purpose of a system, according to the POSIWID (Purpose of a System Is What It Does) heuristic, is defined by its actual function rather than the intentions of those who design, operate, or promote it. British management consultant Stafford Beer coined this concept, emphasizing that claiming a system's purpose is what it fails to do is misguided.
POSIWID serves as a counterargument to the notion that a system's purpose can be inferred from the designers' intentions. When a system's unintended consequences or side effects highlight a poor understanding of its behavior, POSIWID offers a more descriptive perspective that balances political understandings with a straightforward view of the system's actual function.
The author's friend introduced them to the POSIWID concept, noting their own surprise at not having seen it before. They find the concept valuable, particularly in relation to the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the European Commission. The author argues that the purpose of the DMA is what it does, not what people imagine it is intended to do.
They recall a similar anecdote from Fortune's Adam Lashinsky article from 2011, where Steve Jobs questioned the purpose of the MobileMe service. Jobs demanded to know what MobileMe was supposed to do and then asked, "So why the fuck doesn't it do that?" The author parallels this with their critique of the DMA, suggesting that it is not fulfilling its intended purpose.
They emphasize that the DMA is what it does, and it clearly does not achieve what it is supposed to.
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