Systems and system design -- System models -- An elementary description of some information concepts -- Properties involved in message and signal transmission -- Time-varying systems -- System building blocks -- A classification of system building blocks -- Examples of complex systems -- Life story of a new system -- System design -- Engineering and production prototype development -- Production, installation, removal, disassembly -- The systems concept -- A procedure for system design -- An example of system design -- Human and computer roles in system design -- Mathematical description of a system -- Important concepts and ideas of information theory -- Description of a predictable power source -- Description of an information source -- Other functional building blocks -- Information conservation -- Heuristics and system synthesis -- Cost and reliability computations.