This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 31827, “Systems Engineering of Subsea Production Systems,” by Amedeo Marcotulli, Saipem, and David Wilkinson, Endeavor Management. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2022 Offshore Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission. As the complexity and cost of subsea production systems (SPS) has increased during recent decades, the requirement for a more-rigorous, systematic approach toward the engineering of such systems has increased. A systems-engineering (SE) guidance document, specifically written to be applicable to SPS, is being developed by members of API Sub-Committee 17 at the time of writing. The objective of the complete paper is to make potential users of the guidance document aware of the benefits associated with the use of formal SE processes when designing complex facilities. SE Fundamentals Systems engineers exercise a high-level understanding of how system elements work together, visualizing complex systems as a set of subsystems that interact recursively. Recursive relationships are critical in SE and define many hierarchical taxonomies, such as the following: - System components consist of subsystems - Project activities consist of subprojects - Organizations consist of suborganizations - Contracts consist of subcontracts However, an elegance exists in the recursive nature of SE because its processes are self-similar and independent of scale. Its fractal nature allows application of the same process at any level and for any size of project, as shown in Fig. 1. The recursive and iterative nature of SE results in information flows in four directions: - Downward path: Requirement information flows from top to bottom, until the lowest elements are fully defined. - Upward path: Integration information flows from the lowest-level element. - Forward path: Interface information flows across elements that are at the same level, in each level. - Backward path: Feedback information informs the design and realization processes on every iteration for continuous improvement. SE formalizes the interfaces between disciplines, streamlining communications and avoiding rework. SE takes control of the iterations and recursions, thus minimizing waste. Therefore, SE reduces engineering cost while optimizing engineering design. SE requires a mindset more akin to an architect’s duties than to those of an engineer. It requires synthesis more than analysis, involving a top-down view of the system that goes further than an intimate analysis of its parts.