1.6.3 Cognitive and Personality Characteristics of Successful Systems Engineers

According to the title, an extensive research was conducted with an objective to identify the characteristics of engineers with high ‘engineering systems thinking’ thinking skills and the processes by which it is acquired. The main question of the research was “what are the qualifications (knowledge, skills and aptitudes) required from systems engineers?” The General Systems Theory (GST) and the SCAW Model (Systematic Curriculum Alignment and Watch Model) for curriculum design of engineering disciplines constitute the theoretical frame of the research. Eighty-three categories were found in 28 interviews, 14 lectures and 2 observation sites which may be assorted as follows: Ten categories referring to the definition of engineering systems thinking. Four categories deal with various types of systems thinking. Fifteen categories relate to knowledge required from systems engineers. Thirty-one categories cover the skills demanded of systems engineers. Fifteen categories explore the personal aptitudes demanded of the systems engineers. Lastly, eight categories examine processes through which the system thinking capability is developed.