Examining the Viable Systems Model (VSM) for Systems of Systems

In cybernetics, the Viable Systems Model (VSM) is used to describe the control of complex autonomous and adaptable systems. VSM consists of five levels of sub-systems, from lower level operations towards higher level strategy, and it has been successfully applied to several areas of operational management as a tool for diagnostics. In this paper we analyze the suitability of VSM towards Systems of Systems (SoS) and whether it can be leveraged as a positive mechanism for the control of complex SoS. We summarize VSM and its usage in organizational management, and connect the main SoS topics towards VSM. We also extend the basic principles and ideas of VSM towards SoS, and discuss the implications and practical considerations. We evaluate the usefulness of VSM through a electrified construction site use case, and critically analyze its wider application in the SoS domain.