Related Disciplines

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Lead Author: Caitlyn Singam

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One of the most fundamental tenets of systems engineering (SE) is that of approaching systems from an integrated, holistic perspective (INCOSE 2023), with an eye towards how sets of interconnected components and their surrounding environments interface and interact with each other to shape the nature, characteristics, and dynamics of systems of interest (SoIs). In a similar fashion, it is possible to regard systems engineering itself as a system, which interacts and intersects with adjoining and related disciplines, communities of practice, and areas of study. These related fields form the systems context in which the field of systems engineering exists, and play a critical role in not only facilitating the effective use of systems engineering in various application areas, but also in shaping the current nature and future evolution of systems engineering as drivers of the overall operational environment in which systems engineering exists (Singam 2022a). Part 6 of the (SEBoK) provides the reader with an overview of many of these related disciplines, discussion on how these disciplines help enrich and enliven systems engineering, and vice versa.

Context

Systems engineering (SE) is a fundamentally transdisciplinary endeavor (INCOSE 2019): its principles and practices are sufficiently abstract and generic as to be readily applicable to any system, regardless of application area or associated discipline(s) relevant to the system of interest (Kossiakoff et al. 2011). The flexibility and versatility of the SE toolkit is part of what makes it such a valuable asset on projects, especially those involving large or complex systems which require the integration of various disparate elements and technical disciplines into a single, unified system (INCOSE 2023, Elm et. al. 2008). In order to realize that versatility, though, SE practitioners need to have a wide range of technical knowledge that extends beyond that of "pure" SE and across the various disciplines relative to the system(s) of interest. A systems engineer who has responsibility for overseeing the interface between a mechanical subsystem and an electrical subsystem in a biomedical device, for instance, would at minimum need knowledge of mechanical engineering and electrical engineering topics in order to perform a systems engineering task such as setting interface requirements. However, in the context of a biomedical device for human use, familiarity with concepts in biology, safety engineering, electromagnetic interference, human-systems integration, and law/policy - just to name a few - are likely to also become relevant in order for the systems engineer to appropriately communicate and integrate information from across the project, as well as ensure that the interface is fit-for-purpose and within acceptable parameters. It thus behooves the well-prepared systems engineer to maintain familiarity with a broad selection of related disciplines.

Purpose and Scope

Part 6 of the SEBoK intends to aid systems practitioners and other individuals with an interest in SE in augmenting their technical knowledge of subjects relevant to systems engineering practice, and providing a foundation for independent exploration of associated topics via relevant resources.

Part 6's purview encompasses the many fields and topics which enrich the discipline of SE, inclusive of both commonly-discussed disciplines such as those classified under the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) quartet, as well as oft-overlooked disciplines of relevance in the arts and humanities. Part 6 is therefore arguably the most expansive section of the SEBoK in terms of potential scope, as it extends beyond the boundaries of formal SE and SE application areas, and across the breadth of academic and practical knowledge. Even so, the disciplines discussed in this section are only a subset of the full expanse of those which relate to systems engineering: it is, after all, neigh impossible to find a topic or discipline which does not involve or reckon with system(s), and thus systems engineering, in some way (Singam 2022b). Consequently, rather than attempting a full census of the adjacent or related knowledge areas (KAs) that abut the edges of formal systems engineering, Part 6 instead seeks to proffer a curated smörgåsbord of the many related disciplines which bear relevance to systems engineering, with a focus on KAs that are most likely to be of relevance to a diverse, multi-disciplinary audience of systems-minded professionals, learners, and educators.

Figure 1. SEBoK Part 6 in context (SEBoK Original). For further details, see Structure of the SEBoK.

Knowledge Areas in Part 6

The KAs covered in Part 6 are all distinct areas of study or practice (i.e., disciplines which are commonly recognized as separate from systems engineering) that meet one or more of the following descriptors:

1. disciplines which are independent from, but overlap with, formal SE practice and/or the core SE body of knowledge (e.g., project management);
2. specialized disciplines focused on in-depth exploration of specific topics that abut or extend beyond the scope of the core/non-specialist SE body of knowledge (e.g., quality engineering);
3. specialist disciplines which are commonly used to describe or govern the characteristics, dynamics, or life cycle of the composite elements of interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary systems (e.g., physics, biology, mechanical engineering, software engineering, etc.);
4. disciplines which are frequently relevant to the effective and/or ethical practice of SE in a commonly encountered system context (e.g., environmental engineering, information technology (IT) for enterprise systems, law);
5. specialized disciplines which frequently utilize systems engineering methodologies or have a substantial systems engineering/systems science community of practice (e.g., geospatial engineering), and which can provide new generalizable insights into the improvement and evolution of systems engineering as a field;
6. other specialized disciplines which are of substantial interest in non-specialist contexts.

Current Content

At present, Part 6 is organized into the following sub-sections, each representing a key KA:

• Systems Engineering and Environmental Engineering
• Systems Engineering and Geospatial/Geodetic Engineering
• Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering
• Systems Engineering and Project Management
  • Other sub-topics: project structure and governance; procurement and acquisition; portfolio management
• Systems Engineering and Software Engineering
• Systems Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
• Systems Engineering and Enterprise IT
• Systems Engineering and Quality Attributes (This encompasses quality engineering, but is also the home of the disciplines focused on characteristics of systems, sometimes referred to as "-ilities".)
  • Other subtopics: human-systems integration (HSI); manufacturability and producibility; adaptability; affordability; hardware assurance; reliability/availability/maintainability; resilience; resistance to electromagnetic interference; safety; security

As reflected by the sub-section titles within Part 6 ("Systems Engineering and...."), each main KA is focused on the intersection between systems engineering and a given topic, and contains at least one article discussing aspects of that KA that would be of import to a systems engineer from outside that particular specialty. Some of the broader KAs, such as those on project management and quality attributes, also include articles on KA-relevant sub-topics alongside the KA overview articles, as per the categorization listed above.

Future Content

Astute readers may note that pre-existing content in Part 6 is almost exclusively focused on areas of specialist engineering; as Part 6's content continues to evolve, it is planned that the KAs covered in this section will be updated to better reflect the current range of SE-adjacent knowledge and practice across across various related disciplines, in accordance with broadened interest from both academia and industry (Han et. al. 2023) in exploring interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary KAs. In particular, it is planned that future versions of Part 6 will include content on related disciplines that are often overlooked in overviews of SE-relevant subject matter, such as topics in the arts and humanities.

References

Works Cited

Elm, J. P., D.R. Goldenson, K. El Emam, N. Donatelli, and A. Neisa. 2008. A Survey of Systems Engineering Effectiveness-Initial Results (with Detailed Survey Response Data). Pittsburgh, PA, USA: Software Engineering Institute, CMU/SEI-2008-SR-034. December 2008.

Han, Siqi, Jack LaViolette, Chad Borkenhagen, William McAllister, and Peter S. Bearman. 2023. “Interdisciplinary College Curriculum and Its Labor Market Implications.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 120 (43): e2221915120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2221915120.

INCOSE. 2019. Systems Engineering and System Definitions, version 1.0. San Diego, CA, USA: INCOSE. INCOSE-TP-2020-002-06.

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.

ISO/IEC/IEEE. 2023. Systems and Software Engineering -- System Life Cycle Processes. Geneva, Switzerland: International Organisation for Standardisation / International Electrotechnical Commissions / Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023.

Kossiakoff, Alexander, William N. Sweet, Samuel J. Seymour, and Steven M. Biemer. 2011. Systems Engineering Principles and Practice. John Wiley & Sons.

Singam, Caitlyn A. K. 2022. “A Critical Analysis of the Systems Engineering Leadership Pipeline: Closing the Gender Gap.” In Emerging Trends in Systems Engineering Leadership: Practical Research from Women Leaders, edited by Alice F. Squires, Marilee J. Wheaton, and Heather J. Feli, 195–236. Women in Engineering and Science. Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08950-3_7.

Singam, Caitlyn A. K. 2022. “A Vision for Universal and Standardized Access to Systems Competency Education.” INSIGHT 25 (3): 30–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/inst.12395.

Primary References

None.

Additional References

None.

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