Systems engineering encompasses the design, development, and management of complex
systems over their lifecycles. It brings together multiple disciplines and specialties to realize
successful systems. The textbook introduces important foundations including systems theory
concepts, system development lifecycles, and key roles. Systems theory provides ways of
thinking about systems' components, interactions, dependencies, and emergent behaviors. Taking
a systematic approach enables managing complexity and risk. Systems development lifecycles
from waterfall to agile methodologies structure the process of analyzing requirements, designing,
building, testing and deploying systems. They provide frameworks to apply systems engineering
techniques at each step. Finally, systems analysts, architects, developers and managers play
crucial roles applying this knowledge to deliver capable systems.
Trends covered include enterprises increasingly relying on systems integration, new technologies
like cloud computing and the internet of things, and rising cybersecurity challenges. The book
outlines practical methodologies like object-oriented analysis/design along with visual modeling
tools. It emphasizes critical skills like stakeholder interactions, requirements gathering, system
visualization, iterative prototyping, and cross-discipline team collaboration. Key applications
highlight how systems engineering is applied to develop software products, improve
manufacturing operations, design aircraft, evolve public policy, analyze finances, deliver
healthcare, advance scientific research, and more. Unifying theories, versatile tools and real-
world insights equip systems engineers to produce innovative solutions that shape modern
technological landscapes. These foundations enable adapting systems development practices as
environments, technologies and requirements evolve over time (Lee et al., 2018).
References
Lee, J. H., Shin, J., & Realff, M. J. (2018). Machine learning: Overview of the recent progresses
and implications for the process systems engineering field. Computers & Chemical
Engineering, 114, 111-121.
