Systems Engineering: Its Emerging Academic And Professional Attributes

From its modest beginnings more than a half-century ago, Systems Engineering is now gaining international recognition as an effective technologically based interdisciplinary process for bringing human-made systems into being, and for improving systems already in being. Certain desirable academic and professional attributes are coming into clear view. Others require further study, development, testing, and implementation. This paper summarizes the heritage from which Systems Engineering entered the 21 st century. Several emerging attributes of Systems Engineering education and professional practice are addressed. These include the necessary but not sufficient academic and professional activities of technical societies, degree programs and program accreditation, certification and licensing, knowledge generation and publications, recognition and honors, and considerations regarding maturity. Special attention is directed to those attributes that should be developed further to enable Systems Engineering to serve society well in this century. I. Systems Engineering Defined and Described 1 To this day, there is no commonly accepted definition of Systems Engineering (SE) in the literature. Almost a half-century ago, Hendrick W. Bode, writing on “The Systems Approach” in Applied Science-Technological Progress, said that “It seems natural to begin the discussion with an immediate formal definition of Systems Engineering. However, Systems Engineering is an amorphous, slippery subject that does not lend itself to such formal, didactic treatment. One does much better with a broader, more loose-jointed approach. Some writers have, in fact, sidestepped the issue by saying that Systems Engineering is what systems engineers do.” 2 Systems Engineering Defined. The definition of Systems Engineering and the systems approach is usually based on the background and experience of the individual or performing organization. The variations are evident from the following published definitions, with sources noted: 1. International Council on Systems Engineering: “An interdisciplinary approach and means to enable the realization of successful systems.” 3 2. Electronic Industries Alliance: “An interdisciplinary approach encompassing the entire technical effort to evolve into and verify an integrated and life-cycle balanced set of system people, product, and process solutions that satisfy customer needs. Systems Engineering encompasses (a) the technical efforts related to the development, manufacturing, verification, deployment, operations, support, disposal of, and user training for, system products and processes; (b) the definition and management of the system configuration; (c) the translation of the system definition into work breakdown structures; and (d) development of information for management decision making.” 4 P ge 15162.2 3. Defense Systems Management College: “The application of scientific and engineering efforts to (a) transform an operational need into a description of system performance parameters and a system configuration through the use of an iterative process of definition, synthesis, analysis, design, test, and evaluation; (b) integrate related technical parameters and ensure compatibility of all physical, functional, and program interfaces in a manner that optimizes the total system definition and design; and (c) integrate reliability, maintainability, safety, survivability, human engineering, and other such factors into the total engineering effort to meet cost, schedule, supportability, and technical performance objectives.” 5 4. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: “An interdisciplinary collaborative approach to derive, evolve, and verify a life-cycle balanced system solution which satisfies customer expectations and meets public acceptability.” 6 5. U.S. Department of Defense: “An approach to translate operational needs and requirements into operationally suitable blocks of systems. The approach shall consist of a top-down, iterative process of requirements analysis, functional analysis and allocation, design synthesis and verification, and system analysis and control. Systems Engineering shall permeate design, manufacturing, test and evaluation, and support of the product. Systems Engineering principles shall influence the balance between performance, risk, cost, and schedule.” 7 Although the five definitions above vary, there are many common threads. Basically, Systems Engineering (SE) is good engineering with special areas of emphasis. Some of these are: a topdown approach; a life-cycle orientation; a more complete early effort regarding the definition of system functions, relating functions through requirements to design criteria, followed by an effort to ensure the effectiveness of early decision making within the design process on downstream outcomes; and an interdisciplinary or team approach applied throughout the design and development process. Systems Engineering Described. Systems Engineering may be described as a technologically based interdisciplinary process for bringing human-made systems and their products (technical entities) into being. While the main focus is nominally on the entities themselves, Systems Engineering offers an improved strategy. Systems Engineering is inherently oriented toward “thinking about the end before the beginning” and concentrates on what the entities are intended to do before determining what the entities are. Instead of offering systems or system elements and products per se, Systems Engineering focuses on designing, delivering, and sustaining functionality, a capability, or a solution. This strategic thinking is now being considered by forward-looking enterprises in both the private and public sectors. It is applicable to most types of technical systems, encompassing the human activity domains of communication, construction, defense, education, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and many others. Systems Engineering is not a traditional engineering discipline in the same sense as civil engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, producibility engineering, reliability engineering, or any of the other engineering disciplines and specialties. It should not be organized in a similar manner, nor does the implementation of Systems Engineering or its methods require extensive organizational resources. But, for best results, a well-planned and disciplined approach should be followed. P ge 15162.3 The Systems Engineering process involves the use of appropriate technologies and management principles in a synergetic manner. Its application requires synthesis and a focus on process, along with a new thought process to meet 21 st Century challenges. 8 II. Systems Engineering Professional Societies In response to the growing interest in academic aspects of Systems Engineering, the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) established a Systems Engineering Constituent Committee (SECC) in 2002. The membership now exceeds 130, indicating considerable interest in SE by engineering educators from most of the engineering technical societies. Among engineering technical societies, IEEE organized a Systems Council and the NDIA established a division for SE. Some engineering societies have added SE sections or divisions. The American Society for Agricultural Engineers, now the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), has encouraged inclusion of the phrase ‘biological systems’ in its cognizant degree programs. Then there is the often considered change of name of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) to the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). There is one professional society that focuses exclusively on SE. It is the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE, www.incose.org), founded in 1990 as a result of concerns about a shortage of qualified individuals prepared to think in terms of the total system. General Dynamics sponsored the first meeting in San Diego, Boeing hosted the next meeting in Seattle, and IBM facilitated an academic workshop in Northern Virginia. Among the long list of issues identified, were four that are the concern of academia: 1. Lack of clear requirements for Systems Engineering degree programs, 2. Few Systems Engineering graduates, 3. Lack of textbooks on Systems Engineering, and 4. Few accredited Systems Engineering programs. INCOSE is an international technical council formed to develop, nurture, and enhance the multidisciplinary approach of transdisciplinary Systems Engineering as a means to enable the realization of successful systems. INCOSE has strong and enduring ties with industry, academia, and government to support two high level objectives: 1. To gain further recognition by industry, government, academia, and its sister professional societies of the importance of Systems Engineering, and 2. To achieve wide acceptance of INCOSE as a leading Systems Engineering society; and position INCOSE as a unifying force across engineering communities and specialties. The International Council on Systems Engineering is now well established and is rapidly expanding both domestically and internationally. Enabled by more than 60 chapters worldwide and guided by a Corporate Advisory Board of 65, INCOSE is continuing to: 1. Provide a focal point for dissemination of Systems Engineering knowledge, 2. Promote collaboration in Systems Engineering education and research, P ge 15162.4 3. Assure professional standards for integrity in the practice of Systems Engineering, 4. Improve the professional status of those engaged in the practice of Systems Engineering, and 5. Encourage governmental and industrial support for research and educational programs that will improve the Systems Engineering process and its practice. III. Systems Engineering Degree Programs A comprehensive study of Systems Engineering degree programs in the United States was presented at