A system is made up of elements that interact, depend on one another, and connect through relationships or flows. In IB Digital Society, these elements can include people, digital technologies, data, algorithms, institutions, rules, processes, and physical environments.
This concept is part of 2.6 Systems and is shared by SL and HL. The three terms describe related but distinct features:
| Term | Meaning within a system | Digital Society example |
|---|---|---|
| Interacting | Elements act on or influence one another. | A user’s clicks affect the content selected by a recommendation algorithm. |
| Interdependent | Elements rely on one another to function or achieve an outcome. | A platform depends on users for data, while users depend on the platform for access to content. |
| Interconnected | Elements are linked through relationships, networks, or flows. | Advertisers, platforms, users, and data brokers are connected through the collection and exchange of data. |
Consider a social media recommendation system. Users produce engagement data, algorithms process that data, platform policies determine permitted content, and moderators enforce those policies. Changing one element can affect the others: prioritizing engagement may increase viewing time but may also unintentionally amplify sensational content.
This demonstrates systems thinking, which examines the relationships between elements rather than studying each element separately. It also helps identify intended and unintended consequences produced when one part of a system changes.
A common misconception is that a system is only the digital technology itself. In Digital Society, a system also includes the people, institutions, values, rules, and environments that shape how the technology operates and whom it affects.
For an exam question using describe, give a detailed account of the elements and their relationships. For analyse, explain how a change in one element produces effects elsewhere. Examiners reward precise system relationships and consequences, not a simple list of components.
