Systemic Elegance: Clarifying Complexity and Emergence for Engineering Practice

Abstract

In systems engineering, elegance is often associated with simplicity and control, but this risks ignoring the deeper systemic nature of elegance as coherence between complexity and purpose. This article reframes elegance not as minimalism, but as the systemic sufficiency of structure, behavior, and context. Drawing from systems science foundations and the triad of fit–form–function, we argue that true systemic elegance arises when relational complexity is harnessed, not suppressed, to yield emergent coherence across levels. Elegant systems are those that integrate complexity without introducing unnecessary complication; they achieve just enough richness to engage with the variety of their environment, while avoiding overdesign. This balance is not accidental; it results from rigorous architecting and purposeful design. Using examples and distinctions, this article offers a framework for systems engineers to recognize, cultivate, and evaluate elegance as a dynamic outcome of systemic coherence.