Stag hunt as an analogy for systems-of-systems engineering

Abstract

Systems-of-systems engineering deals with a special class of engineered systems that lack the central control common in traditional systems engineering problems. This paper introduces the stag hunt game as an analogy for the fundamental collective decision-making challenges in systems-of-systems engineering. The stag hunt models a dilemma between two viable alternatives: an independent strategy that minimizes risk and a collaborative strategy that maximizes payoff. Results of equilibrium selection theory provide insights to ensure collaboration in systems-of-systems including maximizing upside potential, minimizing downside risk, and mitigating systemic risk sources such as cost overruns.