Asks the Chief Engineer: "So what do I go do?!" [1]

Abstract

We take some ideas from the realm of complexity theory, the study of complex systems science, etc., and apply this learning to a purported way of improving the practice of systems engineering. We choose one of the very challenging domains that we face-the acquisition of electronic systems that will add significant improvements in military mission capability. Systems engineers are being asked to apply their engineering acumen in larger and more complex contexts. We offer some principles of a complementary approach to traditional or conventional systems engineering, called complex systems engineering, which show considerable promise in helping us cope with what seem to be intractable or even unsolvable problems. We focus on ensuring that our most important system elements are composable (capable of being integrated adoptively) with other such elements to satisfy emergent needs and new operational understandings not previously envisioned. This is quite different from our present acquisition process and, along with complexity principles, usually doesn't communicate very well with a typical program's chief engineer, who often asks the key question: "So, what do I go do? " In attempting to answer this question, we make some observations of what is done today and what we might do differently.