Is Systems Engineering Really Engineering?
INCOSE Enchantment Chapter Meeting April 11, 2018
Presented by: Dr. Steve Jenkins, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Lab
Download slides or learn more about the chapter at www.incose.org/enchantment
Abstract: Engineering is a creative process. The object of engineering is to bring about a desired state of the world, typically through the creation of artifacts that use scientific principles to nudge the state of the world in a desired direction. Although engineering disciplines differ in their problem domains and solution techniques, there are fundamental principles that unite them and distinguish engineering from other creative activities such as painting and writing. This talk will explore some of these fundamental principles and consider the degree to which systems engineering does or does not respect them. Finally, it will argue that "Model-Based Systems Engineering" is just a label for a much-needed effort to firmly establish systems engineering as a legitimate application of engineering.