Blog Archives

Our AI team takes a deep dive into a 2011 INCOSE symposium paper which argues that systems engineering lacks a unifying theory. The authors, Dr Joseph Kasser and Prof Derek Hitchins, identify disparate camps within the field, characterized by differing focuses on processes, problems, or the discipline itself. They propose a solution: seven principles for designing “solution systems,” aiming to improve systems engineering practice by focusing on the outcome rather than the process. These principles … Continue reading →

The AI team take a deep dive into an excerpt from Tom Gilb’s updated book on stakeholder engineering, focusing on a method for systematically identifying, analyzing, and managing stakeholders and their requirements throughout a system’s lifecycle. The author emphasizes a unique definition of “stakeholder,” including non-human entities, and advocates for continuous stakeholder discovery and continuous analysis of their evolving needs. The text details methods for eliciting and prioritizing stakeholder requirements, utilizing quantitative techniques and tools … Continue reading →

The AI takes a deep dive into the book “Systemic and Systematic Project Management” by J. Kasser (2019), exploring project management as a problem-solving paradigm that emphasizes the need for both systemic thinking, which considers the whole system, and systematic thinking, which involves a methodical, step-by-step approach. The book details various aspects of project lifecycle management, including planning methodologies like the “build a little test a little” method, cost and schedule estimation, and risk management strategies such as CRIP and ETL charts. … Continue reading →

The AI team take a deep dive into Derek K. Hitchins’ book, “Systems Engineering: A 21st Century Systems Methodology.” It comprehensively explores systems engineering principles and their application to diverse fields. The book uses a holistic approach, emphasizing the importance of understanding the interactions between system components and their environment. It covers various methodologies, including the Generic Reference Model (GRM) for system design and the Rigorous Soft Method (RSM) for problem-solving. The text also examines the role of human … Continue reading →

The AI team takes a deep dive into research that began with the question, “Why do systems engineering textbooks cover such different material while claiming to represent the same discipline?”. The research investigates the evolution of systems engineering over seven decades, hypothesizing a paradigm shift rather than mere topical variation in literature. Utilizing AI-assisted analysis of textbooks from 1950 to 2023, the study identifies three evolutionary phases: an initial engineering science dominance, a subsequent transition period, and a current fragmentation characterized by the predominance … Continue reading →