System-centric refers to an approach, viewpoint, or design philosophy that prioritizes the needs, functionality, and structure of a system itself, often at the expense of user experience or external considerations. This perspective focuses on internal efficiencies, technical specifications, and operational aspects of the system rather than the broader context of its use or the goals it serves. It can result in complex, inflexible, or user-unfriendly solutions. system-centric design typically emphasizes modularity, internal consistency, and resource optimization within the system's boundaries.
System-centric meaning with examples
- The original software design was system-centric, focusing on efficient database interactions, but the resulting interface proved cumbersome and difficult for end-users to navigate. Data retrieval was fast, but completing simple tasks took too many steps. The team later revamped the design, introducing a user-centric approach to improve usability.
- During the project's initial phase, the development team adopted a system-centric approach, prioritizing efficient code and platform integration. This led to a robust underlying architecture, but the lack of user input during the early stages resulted in an application that didn't quite meet the end-user's needs or workflow.
- The organization's IT infrastructure decisions have been traditionally system-centric, meaning updates and new software implementations focused on compatibility and system maintenance rather than the impact on employee productivity. This caused frequent disruptions during updates.
- The company's training programs were system-centric; they were overly focused on the technical aspects of the new product. The marketing department needed to develop new training programs that focused on the benefits users would gain from the product.