Foundations of Systems Engineering

Part 2 is a guide to knowledge associated with systems , particularly knowledge relevant to systems engineering . Part 2 elaborates on the underlying systems ideas upon which the following parts of the SEBoK are based, thus providing a foundation for the remainder of the SEBoK. Part 2 also defines the key principles of a Systems Approach, which will be referred to directly in explaining the practices of systems engineering.

Knowledge Areas in Part 2: Systems

Part 2: Systems contains the following knowledge areas:

Introduction

A number of key terms characterize system knowledge, in particular System Science (glossary), systems concepts , System Theory (glossary), systems thinking and systems approach . Although these terms cover different aspects of the knowledge, there is some overlap and inconsistency in their use. Following are descriptions of these terms as they apply to the above SEBoK knowledge areas.

Systems Overview and System Concepts

To help explore systems knowledge and to relate that knowledge to systems engineering, the knowledge is organized as:

The basic idea of systems and holism

This is the fundamental idea that looking at something as an open system is essential to understanding it, and that reductionism (breaking it down and understanding its parts) must be combined with holism (considering the whole system in its environment). This idea is called systems thinking .

The collection of research and communities of practice based on systems thinking

This describes the movements over the last century which have used systems thinking as their foundation. They include general system theory, cybernetics, operations research and management science, system dynamics, hard systems, soft systems, critical systems thinking. We have called this system science.

Systems thinking and system science are discussed in the Systems Overview knowledge area. Systems Overview summarizes discussions of system and systems thinking presented by a number of System Science (glossary) authors, and how particular aspects of this systems knowledge are of interest to system engineers.

The set of ideas which can be used to think about systems, independent of technology or domain

These ideas come from across the systems sciences and are collected into a "system of systems concepts". The System Concepts knowledge area considers some of the domain-independent principles and concepts, in particular the idea of a system context to allow consideration of different real-world situations and artifacts as systems.

Types of Systems

Types of Systems discusses three engineered system contexts:

Representing Systems with Models

Representing Systems with Models describes approaches for modeling systems, discussed from a generic systems perspective.

Systems Approach

Knowledge related to the practices of systems engineering is organized as:

A way of applying systems thinking and systems concepts to engineered systems

This is a way of applying the full range of hard and soft systems thinking; based on a combination of reductionism and holism applied to a system context (a system of system relationships based around a system of interest in its environment). This is sometimes called Systems Thinking or Applied Systems Thinking. However, this is often restricted to the understanding of the needs for change and not the full life. In the SEBoK, this is called the Systems Approach and is applied to the three aspects, considered independently in Part 2, listed below.

A Systems Approach to selecting and understanding the right problem or oppourtunity
A Systems Approach to synthesising and creating the right products
A Systems Approach to owning and using systems to provide services

One might consider a problem situation to better understand it and make strategic decisions; analyze a specfic problem statement and synthesize a system to help solve it; or create and operate a network of systems to provide a service. The scope of systems engineering, as covered in the SEBoK, encompasses all three aspects of the systems approach.

The Systems Approach knowledge area provides the linkage between the systems knowledge and the practices of systems engineering . The topics discussed in Systems Approach can be used to understand, integrate, or intervene in a system context. This Systems Approach is mapped onto the systems engineering practice in Part 3, 4, and 5 of the SEBOK.

Systems Challenges

Systems Challenges discusses some of the leading-edge challenges that currently exist when a systems approach is applied to promote the successful fielding of systems; the current state of the research with regard to those systems challenges; and the resulting gaps in systems research.

References

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Signatures

--Radcock 15:07, 15 August 2011 (UTC)

--Asquires 18:19, 7 September 2011 (UTC)

--Apyster 18:33, 7 September 2011 (UTC)