Part 1: System Thinking focuses on the opportunities presented in system architecture, namely, the opportunity to articulate the key decisions that define a system and to choose an architecture to match complex challenges.

Chapter 1: Introduction to System Architecture presents the idea of architecture with examples, identifies good ­architecture, and outlines the book. Chapter 2: System Thinking assembles the ideas necessary for system analysis. Chapter 3: Thinking about Complex Systems identifies the constituent modes of thinking we will use to analyze system architecture.