S6: Future system engineers
What does future systems engineering look like? Will the rise of intelligent systems threaten or augment SE practices?
The introduction of AI techniques promises to automate many engineering activities, while at the same time it further increases the complexity of systems. This requires an increasing emphasis on SE competencies such as systems thinking, holistic lifecycle view, etc. How does this impact systems engineering organizations, and SE competency models? How can industry prepare, and what are universities doing in this area?
Moderation: Joris van den Aker, ESI (TNO)
From systems engineering to solutions development
Complexity of high-tech industry requires an increasing emphasis on systems engineering competencies. Developments in areas such as model driven engineering, systems engineering, and AI/machine learning help to conquer complexity from a technological perspective. How do these developments fit in an organizational context? What will be the impact on people and processes? In short, what does future systems engineering look like, and how to prepare for it?
Systems Engineering in an evolving context
Future systems engineers will probably be augmented by artificial intelligence, until then we will have to tackle the design of increasingly complex system with human intelligence. The High Tech Systems Center aims at improving output for large teams by applying system engineering and multidisciplinary design. Two key elements to realize this are model based systems engineering (eliminate documents) , and heterogeneous systems modeling. Ton Peijnenburg, fellow at HTSC and manager systems engineering at VDL-ETG, will reflect on these topics from an research and industrial point of view, by addressing the following questions. What are the consequences for design training at TU/e? What is the role of cognitive skills – especially intellectual curiosity? Where to start with machine learning, AI, ..? How to deal with quantitative comparison of design alternatives?
Helix Goes International: Observations on Systems Engineering in the Netherlands.
The Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) is a University-Affiliated Research Center of the US Department of Defense. SERC performs research on the influence of organizational culture, governance, and structure on the effectiveness of systems engineers. In December 2018 the SERC team interviewed multiple industry partners of ESI on this topic. Nicole Ann Hutchison will present the research framework, results of the interviews, and a comparison of the results with US based companies.