1. Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary approach that focuses on designing and managing complex systems as a whole rather than individual parts. It involves considering all aspects of a problem and relating technical and social factors. 2. A system is made up of interacting elements that work together to achieve specific purposes. Systems engineering is concerned with both the internal structure of a system's components and interactions, as well as a system's external relationships. 3. There are many common misconceptions about systems engineering, but it provides value through a holistic, big-picture thinking style and enabling complex problems to be addressed and transformations delivered through the life of a project.

1. Systems Engineering for Project Managers
What you need to know, what you may think that you
know which ain‟t so and what the main challenges are
INCOSE/APM Joint Workshop – 15 January 2013
Prof Mike Wilkinson
Atkins Technical Director
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

2. Introduction
My Current Roles
Technical Director Atkins
Technical Director Niteworks
Immediate Past-President INCOSE UK
Visiting Professor Loughborough University
My Background and History
Technical Direction Technical Infrastructure/Governance
Business Management Systems & Costing
Technical Consultancy IT/Telecoms/Systems
Academic Research Theoretical Physics
What follows is a personal perspective – not endorsed by Atkins,
INCOSE or anybody else!
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

3. What is Systems Engineering?
• “Systems engineering is a discipline that concentrates on the design and
application of the whole (system) as distinct from the parts. It involves
looking at a problem in its entirety, taking into account all the facets and all
the variables and relating the social to the technical aspect.” [Simon Ramo,
quoted by RISE]
• “Systems engineering is an iterative process of top-down synthesis,
development, and operation of a real-world system that satisfies, in a near
optimal manner, the full range of requirements for the system.” [Howard
Eisner, in Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management,
Wiley, 2008]
• “Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary approach and means to enable
the realization of successful systems.” [INCOSE Systems Engineering
Handbook]
Big Idea: SE is both systemic and systematic
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

4. What is a system?
• “A system is a combination of interacting elements
organized to achieve one or more stated purposes.”
[INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook]
• “A system is an open set of complementary, interacting
parts with properties, capabilities, and behaviours
emerging both from the parts and from their
interactions.”
[Hitchins, “Putting Systems to Work”]
Big Idea: Systems have property of emergence – the
whole is greater than the sum of the parts
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

5. Black box view
System Boundary
System (P, I, C)
-Properties
-Interactions
-Capabilities
Energy
Inputs Material Outputs
Information
Big Idea: SE is all
about controlling
emergence
Constraints
System Environment
External (Holistic) View of a System
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

6. White box view
System (P, I, C) System Boundary
-Properties
-Interactions
-Capabilities
Component
PIC
PIC
PIC Internal
Interactions PIC Big Idea: You
Big Idea: can‟t optimise
the system by
Systems are separately
recursive optimising its
components
Internal (Structural) View of a System
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

7. There are many types of system
- Hitchins‟ five layer model
• Layer 5: Socio-economic layer
• Layer 4: Industry layer
• Layer 3: Business layer
• Layer 2: Project or system layer
• Layer 1: Product layer
Big Idea: There is utility in applying Systems Thinking
and Systems Approaches outside of „trad systems‟
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

8. Systems and Engineering context
Systems Thinking
Systems
Approaches
Business Specialist
Engineering Engineering
Systems
Engineering
Systems Science
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

9. Touchpoint: Process & Lifecycle (cf ISO/IEC 15288)
Tailoring Innovation Special Processes
Investment Enterprise Policy & Resource
Management Management Strategy Management
Lifecycle
Management Enterprise Processes
Decision
Planning Assessment Control
Making
Portfolio, Programme &
Risk Configuration Information Project Processes
Management Management Management
Stakeholder
Requirements Validation Operation Disposal
Definition
Requirements Maintenance
Verification Transition
Analysis
Architectural Service Delivery &
Integration
Design Operational Processes
Engineering &
Technical Processes Implementation
Acquisition Supply Supply Network Processes
Concept Development Production Utilisation & Support Retirement
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

10. Touchpoint: Tools & Techniques
Functional Analysis
System Dynamics Maturity Modelling
Requirements Definition
Choices & Drivers
Requirements Modelling
Contextual Analysis
Option Synthesis
QFD
Solution
Decision Analysis
Problem Analysis Problem Architecting
Causal Mapping
Formulation Architecture Modelling
Use Cases
Architecture Epoch Analysis
Conceptual Modelling
Assurance Experimentation
Stakeholder Mapping Methods
Specialist Models & Analyses
Implementation Planning
Big Idea:
Verification Solution Portfolio Management
Importance
Implementation Programme Management
of models Validation
IP Management Project Management
Community Forums
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

11. Other Touchpoints
• Competencies and traits
– Big picture, breadth, knowledge, communications,
leadership, etc
• Artefacts
– WBS, tasks definitions, risk register/management
plan, stakeholder engagement plan, etc
• Responsibilities
– Requirements management, risk management,
stakeholder engagement, etc
[see NASA PM SE competency framework]
[see Eileen Arnold, “Systems Engineering and Project Management
Intersects and Confusion” INCOSE IS12]
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

12. Myths, prejudices and misconceptions
• SE is nothing more than common sense
• SE is just engineering, we do it as part of
Mech Eng, Software Eng, etc
• SE is just for big defence and aerospace
projects – it doesn‟t apply to me
• SE only applies at the early stages of a
project (or to requirements)
• SE people are „techies/geeks‟ (not pragmatic)
• All you really need is PM
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

13. The true value of SE
• A way of thinking about complex problems
– Scope: Big picture/holistic
– Trades: Knowing what‟s important and why, when, etc
– Context: Domain, environment, stakeholders and influences
– Innovation: Challenging assumptions in a broader context
• A way of delivering transformation/enduring change
– Levels/focus: Operations, systems & technical, change, supply network
– Timescale: Typically through life, enduring capabilities
– Outcomes: Address stakeholder concerns and enterprise objectives
– Efficiency: Early recognition of problems to avoid expensive rework
• A way of bringing together disparate disciplines
– Interdisciplinary: Interactions and dependencies
– Specialisms: Safety, security, supportability, etc
– Integration: Assembling the parts to achieve emergence
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

14. Challenges facing SE
• Inter-profession „jurisdictional competition‟
• Market forces driving differentiation
• Functional stove-piping in businesses
• Local optimisation to achieve key priorities
• Unwillingness to „spend to save‟
• Inadequate skills in the marketplace
• Underpowered/oversold tools and methods
• Focus on „technical‟ rather than „soft‟ issues
• Craft status
• Lack of clarity on motivation/benefits
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd

15. The need for systems engineering…
Socio-
Technical
Multi-
Disciplinary
Iterative
Systemic
Incre-
Systematic
mental
…only a whole systems approach can „bring it all together‟
Copyright © 2013 Atkins Ltd