Webinar 185: The Meaning, Purpose and Value of Systems Engineering

Systems engineering emerged as a recognized discipline in the 1940s and 50s in response to the increasing complexity of both the problems engineers were facing and the systems they were developing to solve those problems. Numerous examples of the successful application of this approach, more art than technique, were described during its early decades, none greater than the Apollo lunar landing in 1969.  At about that time, however, formal processes began to appear, intended to better manage the practice and make it more predictable. Unfortunately, these processes often had the unintended effect of shifting the focus of systems engineers and their managers from the objectives to be achieved to the process to be followed.  Formal processes also disconnected systems engineers from the specific domains in which they were working.  To remedy these issues, five recommendations are offered to help the systems engineering community restore the sense of creativity and excitement to their discipline and assure its continuing value in an increasingly complex world.