A systems engineering process model for 'by default' systems integrators

Many individuals find themselves systems integrators ‘by default’. This situation comes with many challenges when integrating custom systems from off-the-shelf components. A particular challenge is for ‘by default’ systems integrators to employ sound systems engineering practices when they cannot be expected to have a good understanding of systems engineering principles, such as those described in ISO 15288. This paper aims to explore the issues and risks facing a ‘by default’ systems integrator, and proposes a simplified lifecycle model and documentation set based on ISO 15288 to assist with these challenges.