Effective systems engineering for very large systems: an overview of systems engineering considerations

The challenges of very-large-scale systems are discussed and the process of systems engineering is described as a systematic method for increasing the efficiency of design and production engineering. A generalized definition of the term 'systems engineering' and some variations on that approach are presented, and the relationship between the level of systems engineering involvement and project size is explored. The systems engineering method is further dissected, with special emphasis placed on the requirements levied on the performing organization, in order to show the cost/benefit tradeoff associated with implementing this design methodology on a large project. Some conclusions are drawn with respect to the promise of systems engineering for providing an effective, efficient, technical and financial management system for large-scale projects.<>