Navigating the Complexity: The Essence of Systems Engineering
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, discoveries and innovations are unveiled each day. The domains of semiconductors fabrication, electronic devices, software applications, and artificial intelligence, to name a few, are undergoing a significant transformation, characterised by an unprecedented increase in complexity. But how do we manage this constantly growing complexity? How can we grasp the complicated interplay between machinery components, which often happens undercover? Here, systems engineering comes into play. It comes to serve as a blueprint for the development and maintenance of more and more sophisticated systems. Understanding the principles of system thinking and applying the merit of systems engineering may decide whether a project is successful or fails to reach the desired goals.
This article delves into the world of systems engineering (later abbreviated shortly as SE) as a solution for navigating the complexity, explaining its basics and exploring its applications and benefits, as well as some potential drawbacks when misapplied.
What is Systems Engineering?
We can find a few slightly differing definitions of systems engineering (SEBoK, INCOSE SEH 2023, NASA 2019), but at its core, systems engineering is an interdisciplinary approach that addresses the design, development, and management of complex systems. It emphasises a holistic perspective, considering the interdependencies and interactions between various components to ensure their seamless integration and optimal functionality. Following the International Council on Systems Engineering, INCOSE, SE focuses on:
- stakeholders’ needs and goals, turning them into clear, unambiguous descriptions of the solution requirements
- providing solution’s life cycle model, processual and managed course of actions to get to the solution, considering all necessary levels of complexity, uncertainty, change, and variety
- evaluation of alternative solution concepts and architectures
- providing traceability of decisions that have been made during the whole solution’s life cycle
- validation and verification of the system’s design synthesis
- analysis and fine-tuning of the system components’ interactions in the way that the components interoperate harmoniously, reaching the overall desired outcome
To understand what this all means without diving into many technical details, let us take one step back to look at the system itself.
System
In the book “Thinking in Systems: A Primer”, Donella H. Meadows explains it, avoiding mathematical models and technical jargon:
A system is a set of things — people, cells, molecules, or whatever — interconnected so that they produce their pattern of behaviour over time. The system may be buffeted, constricted, triggered, or driven by outside forces. But the system’s response to these forces is characteristic of itself, and that response is seldom simple in the real world.
Putting it more concisely:
A system is an interconnected set of elements coherently organised in a way that achieves something.
The strict ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023 definition, which reasonably fits the one described with ordinary words, says:
A system is an arrangement of parts or elements that together exhibit behaviour or meaning that the individual constituents do not.
Products, services, and, what is easy to miss, companies are systems. A distinctive feature of the vast majority of systems is complexity since, by definition, systems are composed of interacting elements — often systems on a smaller scale. Nature gives us an almost infinite number of examples. Every living organism is a biological system with a clear function — to live. Humans also make systems that serve specific purposes: smartphones, computers, cars, bridges, planes, etc. They are all complex, and to navigate the complexity of developing and maintaining such sophisticated systems, we apply system engineering.
How does System Engineering work?
Along with the technological evolution, some aspects of SE have been developed and applied. It is noted that the first article published dealing directly with the system engineering matter was the work of Mervin J. Kelly from Bell Labs. Since then, SE has continuously been improved to cover all the relevant aspects of the system in the modern world. There needs to be more than this article to uncover all the aspects of SE, but for a good start, let us note the most essential principles.
Three system-related domains are supportive of each other:
System Thinking
System thinking is a foundation for SE. It applies the properties, concepts, and principles of systems to the given situation as a framework to get insight and understanding about the system of interest and its existing environment (INCOSE 2023). Trivially speaking, system thinking is profoundly thinking about things as systems.
System Science
System science aims to provide vital foundational concepts to formulate rigorous systems theories, methodologies, and tools accessible to practitioners to understand all the aspects of analysed systems.
System Engineering
System engineering incorporates system thinking and system science principles to strictly describe the system of interests so that it can be transformed in a managed way to meet technical and business requirements. SE relies on expert knowledge, experience, and proven standards to guide system engineers in systematically reaching the given goal.
Systems engineering in complex projects
Some industries like automotive, healthcare, and aviation, where human lives are at stake daily, explicitly require strict system engineering rules to be obeyed to ensure the systems are safe and behave as intended. Otherwise, such systems will not be certified appropriately and allowed to be used. A comprehensive list of official SE standards can be found in the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook (INCOSE 2023).
At Systerion, we ensure that the proper set of methods, tools, and standards are applied in a suitable framework for the work on the system of interest. Our essential SE task is to tailor the framework to balance the technical, processual and business needs.
Automotive Embedded Systems
Let us consider the development of an embedded system for an automotive device such as an engine control unit (ECU), multimedia controller, or a water cooling pump. Systems engineering activities involve mechanical, electronic, and embedded software components, addressing Human-Machine-Interface (HMI) wherever needed, and considering stringent formal regulatory compliances such as quality management ISO 9001, information security ISO 27001 ASPICE, and functional safety ISO 26262 standards (Side note: every mentioned ISO standard is a microcosmos itself and is beyond this article). A system architecture is carefully crafted based on the specified system requirements. Later on, all the system components are designed, developed, and fabricated. Finally, the components are integrated, starting from the basic units towards higher system integration levels, ensuring that the resulting composition has all the required features.
Enterprise Software Applications
Suppose an organisation decides to introduce or improve its internal processes, such as purchasing, production planning or machine park management. At first, a system engineer gathers stakeholders’ needs, which, after business validation and verification, are turned into a list of requirements the system must fulfil. System engineers pay attention to interoperability requirements with other systems. Depending on the use case, a system of interest may need to exchange data with other IT systems using a specified interface. Based on the resulting system architecture, the developed system may consist only of software components.
Beware not to be misled that this system is “only” a software application. All the system thinking principles, methods, and tools still hold here. When SE is applied correctly, the project manager still gets complete requirements traceability and system adaptability.
Requirements Traceability
Systems engineering facilitates precise requirements traceability throughout the software development life cycle. This approach ensures that each component aligns with the overall system objectives and user needs, tracing how requirements are implemented and how they relate to other project artefacts.
Adaptability
The systems thinking approach in software engineering allows for greater adaptability to changing requirements. Adaptability gives improved flexibility in modifying software components triggered by new or revised requirements, with minimised costs, maintaining software systems consistent.
Pros of Systems Engineering
Systematic Problem-Solving approach
SE fosters a comprehensive problem-solving approach, allowing engineers to view projects as interconnected systems rather than isolated components. This holistic perspective often leads to more robust and efficient solutions.
Conscious Risk Managing
By identifying potential risks early in the development process, SE enables proactive risk management, which, in turn, helps mitigate challenges before they escalate, reducing the likelihood of project delays or failures.
Improved Collaboration among Stakeholders
Collaboration between different engineering disciplines is seamless with systems engineering. Hardware, Mechanical, Software developers, and other stakeholders can work harmoniously, leading to a more integrated and synchronised project execution.
Optimised Performance
SE focuses on optimising the entire system’s performance, not just individual components. This approach ensures that the final product meets the consciously specified requirements and operates efficiently in real-world conditions.
Reaching Business Objectives
Once the tailored development framework is established and applied, the work on the system of interests progresses efficiently, risks are under control, stakeholder requirements are consciously managed, and resources are spent adequately to meet needs. All that results in reaching the business objectives, such as faster return on investment, better customer satisfaction, and harmonious collaboration within the organisation and with external partners. What is also worth mentioning is that properly engineered systems allow seamless interoperability with other systems with reduced support and maintenance.
Cons of Systems Engineering
While systems engineering proves its value and is widely used to manage complex projects, there are situations where it is better to double-check SE applicability. Drawbacks associated with SE to consider while setting up the project:
SE Requires Additional Resources
Implementing SE requires a considerable upfront investment in time, personnel, competencies, and tools. Small projects with limited budgets may find allocating resources for a comprehensive systems engineering approach challenging.
SE requires increased initial Efforts
Although the application of SE speeds up the overall development process, upfront costs associated with initial SE steps can be discouraging, especially when quick progress demonstrations are needed.
Decrease in Development Agility
The structured nature of SE may limit the developer’s ability to handle sudden changes that may arise during a project.
Lower Applicability in smaller projects
Systems engineering may only be suitable for some types of projects. Smaller, less complex projects may benefit less than the full suite of SE practices.
Learning Curve
Systems engineering methodologies and tools may have a steep learning curve for teams that are new to the approach. The required SE knowledge can slow the adoption process and impact project performance, especially at the beginning.
Systerion provides comprehensive support in introducing SE to the project and organisation culture, making the setting up phase as effective as possible.
Conclusion
Systems engineering offers a proven framework for managing the complexities of projects. Its emphasis on a holistic approach, comprehensive planning, and systematic coordination contributes to improved project outcomes, enhanced risk management, and stakeholder satisfaction. The benefits of systems engineering, like a systematic problem-solving approach, risk management, optimised solution performance, as well a high probability of reaching business objectives, make it an essential methodology for organisations facing intricate challenges.
However, systems engineering has its drawbacks. The initial resource and time investment, coupled with the potential resistance to change, can pose hurdles, particularly for smaller projects with limited resources. The structured nature of systems engineering may limit development agility, making it more challenging to balance a systematic process and adaptability to changing project dynamics.
Ultimately, the successful application of systems engineering depends on the specific project context, organisational culture, and the commitment of stakeholders. While challenges exist, the benefits of guided project management, reduced risks, and enhanced communication justify the costs of adopting systems engineering methodologies, particularly when addressing complex and interconnected systems. As organisations evolve and face increasingly intricate projects, systems engineering remains a powerful toolset in pursuing successful and efficient project outcomes.
Do you experience issues in your project, or consider the application of systems principles with a trusted partner?
Systerion‘s team of professionals offers expertise in systems development, selected industrial domains. We will support you in analysing your case and propose an optimal course of action.
