4.4.1 On Motivating People to Implement Systems Engineering

Abstract

AbstractStart by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible1. This paper concentrates on the human aspect in Systems Engineering (SE), and describes the tailored SE approach the California High‐Speed Train System (CHSTS) project took in introducing and implementing SE principles while working with various stakeholders including federal regulators, state agencies, consultants, contractors, managers, peers and suppliers.Today the CHSTS project is applying various SE tools and methods, such as stakeholder management, concept documents, operational scenarios, requirements management (RM) including RM tools, requirements verification traceability matrices (RVTM), system architectures, interface management, verification and validation, version management, process tailoring, and others.The CHSTS is considered a large infrastructure project (LIP). Numerous studies have been performed, and papers written, about the value of Systems Engineering [1]. However, LIPs in general follow a different path, using the construction industry specific Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E) approach. Large infrastructure projects have been reluctant to fully embrace and implement Systems Engineering principles, often for reasons similar to that depicted in Figure 1.Applying Systems Engineering to Large Infrastructure Projects [2]imageThis paper builds on technical papers previously submitted to INCOSE [3, 4], but focuses rather on the soft skills that were used to lead the client, management and peers to introduce and implement Systems Engineering principles. The paper will also address the gradual development of individual SE activities into a comprehensive Systems Engineering approach that will achieve the necessary, the possible and, ultimately, the impossible.