Warfield wrote Introduction to Systems Science in Florida, after he had retired. He came to believe that Understanding Complexity, which he had labored so long to make understandable, was still not easily understood by many who might find his ideas useful. He decided to try again, time with a book written for entry level study of the topic. He decided against large complex graphics, and mathematics, but instead produced a book which could lead the readers to his other books if they were so inclined.
The book uses only a few simple diagrams, and does not include the mathematics underpinning the work.
He asked colleagues who had used his methods to contribute short descriptions of how they used Interactive Management, and included all their pictures as well as pictures of the philosophers and systems scientists whose work is part of the foundation of Systems Science. When copyright for these pictures was lacking, he substituted pencil sketches of their faces.
An Introduction to Systems Science is in several libraries nationwide and for sale at Amazon and also at the World Scientific web site: www.worldscientific.com. The publishers listed it under Computer Science for a time, but now it is listed under Operations Research. Neither is an adequate descriptor for what John is writing about. John says he is writing about Science, and Systems Science, "a division of research with no home. ... That's the real problem. The publishers and librarians don't know what to do with my books. There isn't any name for what I do." (r.w. circa 2009)