{"id":4211,"date":"2020-01-20T15:21:11","date_gmt":"2020-01-20T20:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/?p=4211"},"modified":"2026-03-26T08:49:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:49:32","slug":"system-engineering-process-from-inside-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/teamcenter\/system-engineering-process-from-inside-out\/","title":{"rendered":"System Engineering Process from Inside-out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

No matter how integrated the system engineering process is, none of us have the opportunity to design and implement totally disconnected systems in our organizations.  Even if we are starting from scratch or greenfield, we need to consider how our new system will interact with existing systems.  John Blyler\u2019s (Design News)<\/a> Blog on Middle-out\/Inside-out systems engineering<\/a> reminded me about the realities of implementing systems engineering in real-world complex organizations.  A real-world where most of the development work happens on existing products instead of new products (Sony says 80%  of new products are improvements of existing products<\/a> and Harvard Business Review says 80% of new product launches fail<\/a> ).   This makes the systems engineering mantra of  \u201cdefining the problem before you solve it\u201d even more important since you not only need to get the requirements, constraints, and interactions understood, but you also need to understand the \u201cwhy\u2019s\u201d behind the existing product. Failure to do so means your exposed to the technical risk that will get expensive if you discover it late in the product life cycle (see earlier discussion on Murphy effects<\/a>).    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Systems Engineering Tools\u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good engineering schools and professional societies such as INCOSE<\/a> teach the system engineering process AND give you tools, methods, and techniques to adapt to your complex work environments, which means systems engineering tools should help you capture and manage\/deal with complex systems inside and outside of your product.  One of those tools is analogs, i.e. look for existing systems and use them in design and managing product development.  Biological mimicry\/Biomimetics<\/a> is one source of possible product problem solutions with the idea that nature has already developed many working complex systems and shook them out.  For example, Human Anatomy and the interacting body systems can be an analog of how projects and development processes interact with each other: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project Anatomy: Human anatomy applied to project interactions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This \u2018anatomy of a project\u2019 shows how various body systems can be compared to project systems and how their interactions can help understand\/describe project\/organization interactions. For example, if the brain\/project management is cut off from the circulatory system\/information systems poor decisions are made.  I think systems engineering (SE) and the nervous system are analogous, SE is supposed to understand what\u2019s going on in and around the project\/body and react in a systemic way to avoid injury.  I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll get comments from some of you on how other project illnesses align well with this analog.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MBSE Transplant\u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recently had the experience of participating in a transplant process for a relative dealing with organ failure and attended a transplant orientation meeting.  It was an education in dealing with existing complex systems and how a systematic approach is required to improve your chances of success. The multi-hour seminar included many different presenters\/disciplines each with their perspective to ensure a successful transplant:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n