INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook

INCOSE. 2023. Systems Engineering Handbook: A Guide for System Life Cycle Processes and Activities, version 5.0. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc, ISBN: 978-1-119-81429-0.

Note that in some places, there are still references to previous versions of the Handbook:

INCOSE. 2012. Systems Engineering Handbook: A Guide for System Life Cycle Processes and Activities, version 3.2.2. San Diego, CA, USA: International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), INCOSE-TP-2003-002-03.2.2.

INCOSE. 2015. Systems Engineering Handbook: A Guide for System Life Cycle Processes and Activities, version 4.0. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc, ISBN: 978-1-118-99940-0.

As the Editorial Board completes the updates of materials to reflect the current version of the handbook, previous versions will be removed.

Usage

This source is considered a primary reference for the following articles (see annotation below):

• Systems Thinking
• Introduction to Systems Engineering Fundamentals
• Representing Systems with Models
• Systems Engineering and Management
• System Life Cycle Models
• Generic Life Cycle Model
• Vee Life Cycle Model
• Business or Mission Analysis
• System Requirements Definition
• Logical Architecture
• System Integration
• System Verification
• System Transition
• System Operation
• System Maintenance
• Technical Planning
• Assessment and Control
• Information Management
• Service Life Management
• Service Life Extension
• Capability Updates, Upgrades, and Modernization
• System Disposal and Retirement
• Engineered System Context
• Deploying, Using, and Sustaining Systems to Solve Problems
• Incremental Life Cycle Model
• Physical Architecture
• System Validation
• Product Systems Engineering Background
• Product as a System Fundamentals
• Product Systems Engineering Key Aspects
• System Affordability
• Product Systems Engineering Special Activities
• System Concept Definition
• Systems Engineering Overview
• Integrating Supporting Aspects into System Models
• Guidance for Systems Engineering Novices
• Development of SEBoK v. 1.0
• Applying Life Cycle Processes
• System Life Cycle Approaches
• Introduction to the SEBoK
• Introduction to Systems Engineering
• Systems Engineering Core Concepts
• Systems Engineering and Geospatial/Geodetic Engineering
• Relationship between Systems Engineering and Geospatial/Geodetic Engineering
• Functional Architecture
• Configuration Management

Annotation

The Handbook summarizes the baseline knowledge of systems engineering (SE). it is used in the KA to help identify how general systems ideas apply to SE. This reference provides the engineered system perspective on systems and an overview of the common SE life cycle and processes.

Note, the most recent version of the INCOSE Handbook is v5.0 published in 2023. Where appropriate, the SEBoK makes specific reference to this new version. However, in many instances the reference remains to v4.0 until a thorough review of the reference has been completed.

SEBoK v. 2.12, released 27 May 2025