Title: Understanding how problem formulation in systems engineering influences system affordability: a systems thinking investigation

Authors: Alejandro Salado; Roshanak Nilchiani

Addresses: Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, 1145 Perry St, 217 Durham Hall, Blacksburg VA 24060, USA ' School of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken NJ 07030, USA

Abstract: Systems engineering is promoted as the engineering discipline that facilitates success in the development of large-scale systems; yet these continue to significantly fail in all major dimensions: performance, cost, and schedule. Requirements are the cornerstone of this discipline because they often set the boundary conditions on which systems are developed, but their capability to influence system affordability seems questionable. The present research explores current practices of requirements engineering and, using systems thinking, investigates how they influence system affordability. A set of measures is proposed by the authors that would enable an active use of requirements engineering to facilitate the development of affordable systems.

Keywords: problem formulation; systems engineering; systemigram; systems thinking; requirements engineering; conceptagon; requirements categorisation; system affordability; requirement prioritisation; system goodness; system elegance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASS.2017.089938

International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies, 2017 Vol.7 No.4, pp.227 - 256

Received: 09 Sep 2015
Accepted: 27 Sep 2016
Published online: 26 Feb 2018 *

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