Generating momentum for systems engineering

The view of systems engineering taken in this paper is that it embraces any steps aimed at managing complexity, where the complexity is an issue in its own right. It is, therefore, not a new phenomenon, but rather a movement which has only recently achieved a scale and prominence which merit a distinct identity. A key component of this emerging identity is a shift in the application of resources, away from the implementational details of projects, towards the co-ordination and integration of their constituent parts into a unified whole. Like any change, this shift presents organisations and individuals with change and uncertainty. This paper describes some of the issues which can block commitment to systems engineering, from the viewpoint of both organisations and individuals, and discusses how they can be overcome