C6. System Level: Autonomy

Sy: auTonomy AUTONOM, or self-reliance, is the level of independence of the system from other systems on any level, including material resources, decision making, trade balances, etc. Autonomous systems are less influenced by what happens around them than dependent systems are, freer to follow their own decision trajectory, and can tune their mechanics to suit their own needs more accurately. 

: auTonomy

From the SiD Book

The System level SiD’ system level is where the underlying levels (the object and network level), come together. The system level determines the edges of the system and evaluates the performance of the system as a whole. The object level builds from bottom-up, the network level from top-down, and the system level is informed from both of these perspectives. It is on the system level that sustainability can be evaluated, together with its base components: resilience, autonomy, and harmony. The system is the most abstract of the three layers. As a consequence, it can be the most insightful layer, as well as the most confusing. However, on the system level lies the most impact, our final long-term goal, and, if we can manage to find them, the actions that have the most leverage for systemic c...